By Bryan Corbin, Evansville Courier & Press
INDIANAPOLIS - This morning, minority House Republicans called for a special session of the Legislature to pass property tax relief. They proposed using $200 million from the state's budget surplus, on top of $300 million in existing property-tax relief, and converting a planned tax-rebate check program into a fall tax credit.
Republican minority leader Rep. Brian Bosma said the five-point plan would reduce property-tax increases to, on average, zero percent change from last year's bills.
Among other things, Bosma and other House Republican leaders called for distributing supplemental tax relief to counties and allowing county councils discretion in targeting it to property-owners hardest hit.
House Republicans proposed another $100 million in homestead credits on residential property, and would extend the filing deadline for the homestead deduction to Sept. 30.
Only the governor can call a special session of the Legislature. Gov. Mitch Daniels has said he is considering it, but majority Senate Republicans are generally opposed to a special session now, saying more time is needed to develop a long-range property-tax reform plan.
The Democratic speaker of the Indiana House, Patrick Bauer, said today he welcomed the Republicans' willingness to spend more on property tax relief, but said it is not yet time for a special session, due to reassessment "chaos" in many counties. The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance has ordered new reassessments in four counties and is still awaiting assessment data from a number of others.