At a glance
Gov. Mike Pence’s proposed two-year state budget:

• The two-year average increase in spending is 1.34 percent

• Reserves would fall around 12.5 percent of spending – or about $1.9 billion each year

• $200 million in new K-12 tuition support over the biennium

• Charter school funding would increase $41 million and voucher funding at least $4 million

• 10 percent increase for Teacher Performance Grants for a total of $63 million by the end of the biennium

• Gives a 1 percent increase each year for higher education, or about $40 million over the biennium

• $11 million in adoption subsidy payments

• $8 million for the Indiana State Department of Health to combat infant mortality

• Increased funding of $1 million per year for domestic violence shelters

• Increases Indiana Department of Correction operational spending by $43 million over two years and includes $51 million to build prison units

• Sets aside additional $300 million in highway funding on top of regular INDOT budget

• Provides $42 million a  year for a Regional Cities Initiative

• Spends more than $50 million over two years on bicentennial projects, including a plaza, new inn at Potato Creek State Park and a new State Archives building
INDIANAPOLIS – The budget battle began Thursday when Gov. Mike Pence unveiled a $31 billion, two-year spending plan that favors charter and voucher schools over traditional public education and spends a whopping amount on cash projects.

“I think this is a prudent, honest, responsible first step,” said House Ways and Means Chairman Tim Brown, R-Crawfordsville.

But Democrats on the State Budget Committee immediately pointed to the proposal’s faults – especially a modest increase in K-12 tuition support dollars of $200 million.

“That’s not a realistic number,” said Rep. Terry Goodin, D-Austin. 

He and Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Portage, specifically pointed to the difference in spending on voucher and charter schools compared with traditional public schools.

Chris Atkins, head of the Indiana Office of Management and Budget, said Pence supports having a quality seat for every child regardless of what school they choose.

“Then we need to pay for it, and this budget doesn’t,” Tallian said.

The average increase in the budget is 1.34 percent each year. Reserves would drop to about $1.9 billion a year – slightly lower than the current level.
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