Sen. Alting on SB1: Statehouse just made locals the ‘bad guys’ on taxes

Senator from Lafayette explains his no vote on property tax reform, along with other reaction. Plus, two more community meetings set on controversial SK hynix rezoning request.

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SEN. RON ALTING ON SB1: STATEHOUSE JUST MADE LOCALS THE ‘BAD GUY’ ON TAXES

State Sen. Ron Alting, a Lafayette Republican among a dozen in his party who this week voted against Senate Bill 1’s property tax reforms, on Tuesday blasted the measure as one that will wind up bringing on local income taxes across the state and “murder” services from cities, schools, townships and libraries.

Alting said the bill, signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Mike Braun, didn’t deliver the sort of property tax relief that covered what he considered devastation for local governmental bodies.

Alting was one of a dozen Republicans in the Senate who joined Democrats on the losing side of a 27-22 vote on SB1, which creates a new property tax credit of 10 percent of a homeowner's bill, up to $300. The measure also adds property tax credits for older Hoosiers and veterans and offers exemptions from the business personal property tax. (State Sen. Spencer Deery, a West Lafayette Republican, also voted against the bill this week.)

State Sen. Ron Alting (Photo: Dave Bangert)

Alting said predictions that nearly all Indiana counties would look to increase local income taxes to offset SB1’s cuts fueled his vote.

“I'm going to tell you something, is $300 worth it for you to have less police and firefighters, maybe less garbage pickup?” Alting asked.

“They’re waving a flag, saying we’re the ones cutting your taxes … when what they're doing is shifting everything on to the local government and saying, ‘You be the bad guys. You add the taxes needed to run a city or run a school,’” Alting said.