By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — State Sen. Ryan Mishler, one of the leading voices in crafting budgets and tax policy, didn’t have much good to say on Friday about property tax reform efforts in the state legislature.
Mishler pointed out what he called flaws in Gov. Mike Braun’s proposal, SB 1, and said a counter-proposal was way too complicated.
On top of that, he said he believes most Hoosiers don’t understand the plans.
One of the tenets of Braun’s plan is to reset tax rates back several years to when they were less burdensome. But that goes against the legislative process of relying on market value.
Mishler said that would likely be decided in the court system.
“Will there be a challenge? Absolutely. It may hold up to a challenge, it may not. We never know about those things,” Mishler said.
He also derided a revamped bill that relied on wording from a previously considered HB 1402.
“It’s the most convoluted, complicated piece of legislation I’ve ever seen. And no one, zero people in that committee could explain it, which makes it more difficult. There are more formulas and things,” Mishler said. “I thought I was a fairly intelligent guy, but there are only three or four things that I could finally get a grip on what they did.”
Mishler was joined by State Reps. Craig Snow and David Abbott for a legislative update in Warsaw on Friday.
Snow represents much of Kosciusko County and part of Wabash County, and Abbott represents parts of Noble, Whitley, Elkhart and Kosciusko counties.
Mishler represents parts of Marshall, St. Joseph, Elkhart counties and a large chunk of Kosciusko County.
The legislative session has already moved into the second half of the calendar and is expected to conclude by the end of April.
Mishler said he would like to resurrect a past plan in which the homestead tax would be fully exempted in several years once the state retires a major pension debt.
Neither Snow nor Abbott had much to say about property tax reform.
Property tax reform, while the concept is popular with homeowners and others, has created substantial worry on the part of local elected leaders who say taxing units — including school districts, city government and county government — would face major shortfalls in revenue if approved.
Each lawmaker provided an update and then people in the audience were invited to ask questions.
Nobody in the audience offered any thoughts for or against property tax reform.
Both Snow and Mishler expressed some worry about the upcoming state revenue forecast, which will be released in a matter of weeks and provide insights into how much money the state can expect to have available.
That issue, Mishler said, will not be a factor in deciding property tax reform.
Snow and Abbott talked about the importance of improving water quality in Indiana lakes. In fact, both expressed a desire to work together on some projects that could dovetail with existing studies and insights involving the Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams at Grace College.
Abbott said Braun has already voiced support for such initiatives.
The “Third House” legislative updates are hosted by the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce.
