The president of the Monroe County Council will meet with Braun to discuss the property tax bill

Bloomington, Indiana – Gov. Mike Braun of Indiana requested last week that local governments “prove” they require tax income that will be affected by a property tax measure he supported.

Jennifer Crossley, the president of the Monroe County Council, now has a response.

Crossley told the Indiana Daily Student, “We invite anyone from his office, his lieutenant governor, or anybody else to come and speak to us so we can also prove to you what this will look like if those cuts were to go into place.”

After a state Senate committee made significant amendments to the Braun-backed Senate Bill 1 that morning, the Monroe County Council overwhelmingly tabled deliberations of a resolution rejecting it on Tuesday. Councilor Marty Hawk attended the meeting electronically after missing the vote.

As the measure is being discussed and the county deals with inflation, Councilor David Henry stated on Tuesday that the council might need to take into account a “strategic pause” in local decision-making.

Many of the decisions the council has considered this year began prior to the current legislative and gubernatorial periods, Henry told the IDS on Wednesday.

“Anything that has been proposed since the start of the year or my new term should have a second opinion to determine whether it is an urgent appropriation or if it can wait until we know how our funding situation will change after SB 1 and other legislation are signed into law,” Henry stated.

He added that the money for the new jail is part of it. After more than three years of trying to improve conditions in the current jail, the county finally decided to construct a new facility. The purchase of a jail property was approved by the county council in November, following years of delays. The anticipated hard construction costs for the 400-bed hospital are $80.9 million.
According to Henry, the council should begin collaborating with departments to identify what is necessary.

Carmel The Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee was informed last week by Republican Mayor Sue Finkam that the proposed changes could significantly reduce the city’s services. Also testifying were Indiana County Councils Association President Anton Neff, Association of Indiana Counties Board President Sue Ann Mitchell, and Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun.

Under the heading “Property tax relief,” the original law would have raised the homestead standard deduction for property owners and limited increases in property tax bills. It was in accordance with a suggestion made by Governor Mike Braun during the previous year’s campaign.

The first version of SB 1 would have reduced taxes by $1.15 billion in 2026, per a Legislative Services Agency fiscal estimate. Some of the biggest revenue drops will be seen by school districts and county governments, which would lose $536 million and $211 million, respectively.
The Monroe County Community School Corporation would have lost $10,240,500 in revenue in 2026, costing Monroe County more than $25 million.

However, a modified plan that repeals much of SB 1, including the annual cap on property tax bill increases, was approved by the Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee on Tuesday.
New limitations on school referendums are now part of it. These referendums would only be held in even-numbered general election years under the revised measure. With a few exceptions, schools would also not be permitted to hold financial referendums in consecutive years. In 2023, MCCSC approved a referendum of this kind, providing funding for early childhood education.

Additionally, the revised measure caps the maximum levy growth quotient for the following two years and freezes it in 2026.

According to the most recent fiscal analysis, the amended law will result in a net revenue change of approximately $238 million in 2026. Monroe County would lose around $7.6 million in tax income as a result, and MCCSC would lose about $1.5 million.

The committee “has taken steps in the right direction,” according to a statement sent by Braun’s office in response to the modifications. Nevertheless, it stated that a widespread and prompt tax cut is necessary for homeowners.

The statement said, “The Governor will look closely at the changes to his plan and looks forward to working with the House and Senate to strengthen the amended bill to include immediate and broad-based property tax cuts for Hoosier homeowners who have been hardest hit by skyrocketing inflation in home values.”

Several councilors, including Trent Deckard, enthusiastically supported the resolution condemning SB 1 when it was initially read by the Monroe County Council in January.

Regarding the unaltered bill, Deckard stated on January 28 that “you could cut it in half, and then cut that into quarters, and you’re still going to be killing us.” That’s the extent of its badness.

Other councilors agreed with the revisions from that morning, but Councilor Kate Wiltz stated on Tuesday that she hadn’t had time to become acquainted with them.

Property tax relief is crucial, but the government must still be able to pay for its operations, according to Deckard.

The “long session” in the statehouse, according to Councilor David Henry, should allow for improvements to the law through amendments. According to Crossley, the council will keep an eye on the progress of the bills in the legislature.

Hawk, the only Republican on the board, claimed to have nearly attended the Senate tax and fiscal policy committee meeting on Tuesday morning after the council meeting. According to her, Holdman understood that the governor and committee needed to collaborate with local governments and offer tax breaks, especially to elderly and injured veterans. On Tuesday, the committee introduced particular tax breaks for such groups.