So the fate of the $42 million for the three Regional Cities initiatives could come down to gas and cigarettes.
More specifically, whether the Indiana General Assembly and Gov. Mike Pence agree to fund all three of the initiatives hangs on whether they’ll also approve raising gas and cigarette taxes in Indiana and increase funding for state pensioners.
As we keep saying, the state legislature and the governor need to figure this out and give Hoosiers the Regional Cities money. It’s the right kind of investment for Indiana.
Initially, two chunks of money were approved, but Pence and the Indiana Economic Development Corp. asked for a third. Lawmakers in the Indiana House of Representatives balked, but now members of the House Ways and Means Committee added it to Senate Bill 333, which funds highway improvements with tax increases. A similar bill in the Senate, House Bill 1161, is being considered there.
Raising taxes in an election year is rare and unpopular. Finding money without raising taxes is very possible. Proposals have been made to fund the additional money through the state’s tax amnesty fund, providing more than enough to cover the three initiatives.
Pence, who is running for re-election, hoped to piece together $1 billion in funding to improve Indiana bridges and highways. The improvements in infrastructure are needed as well.
Now it comes down to how you fund these and who has the political capital to spend on getting it done their way. It’s like a game show where contestants can bid on what they need for the game and try to come out on top.
Yet this isn’t a game show. This isn’t just a political fight. It’s a key moment for the state, and investing in its communities and the initiatives highlighted there will make the state stronger.
Kyle Hannon of the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce and State Sen. Joe Zakas said there’s more support than there had been for the Regional Cities funding increase.
That’s good news.
The discussions continue. Both houses of the Legislature discuss this as they head toward the session’s end on or about March 10.
Most of the state suffers from a brain drain of talent. Programs like the Regional Cities Initiative can help fight that loss of talent by creating a better environment for people to do business and raise a family. Northern Indiana needs this money to continue its progress and fund projects that have demonstrated impact. Same goes for the Allen County and Evansville areas. The pie should get larger rather than an $84 million pie being split three ways.
Lawmakers need to find a way to get this done with Pence. It’d be better if it happened without being an amendment on bills that raise taxes, but this is how politics works sometimes. This is too important not to get done