By MARK MILLER
Wells County’s representative in the Indiana State Senate, Travis Holdman, has a few brief thoughts about the upcoming 2024 legislative session, a year which falls into the “short session” category and must conclude by March 14.
He’d like for it to be “as short as possible,” he said.
“We,” referring to the Republican leadership team on which he serves as Majority Caucus Chair, “have decided there will not be any controversial topics,” he said. After a pause and a grin, he adds, “which guarantees there will be at least one controversial topic that will pop up.”
When quizzed on what that might be, he referenced school library and curriculum issues, particularly any teaching or support for “CRT — Critical Race Theory,” he explained. “There have already been several bills filed on those issues.”
There will definitely be some tweaks to managing property tax issues, he continued. While he has chaired an interim study group — the State and Local Tax Review task force — that is reviewing and will continue to review all of Indiana’s tax structure, property taxes continue to be one of the most talked-about issues by constituents.
One exemption for homeowners age 65 and over will continue to be monitored by the senate, he indicated. The income threshold, which had been set for a number of years, is now tied to Social Security increases.
That income level to qualify for the exemption is currently set at about $32,000 for individuals and $43,000 per household.
Meanwhile, one the property tax control mechanisms, the Maximum Levy Growth Quotient, will definitely be a topic of discussion.
That number limits how much local governmental units can increase the money they raise via property taxes. That increase is currently frozen at four percent, but that freeze is slated to disappear in 2026.
“The projection for ’26 right now would be a 5.6 percent increase,” if the MLGQ reverts to the old formula, Holdman explained. “If we thought taxpayers groused about their tax bills in the last 18 months, it would be even worse in 2026” if the legislature does nothing. He expects that freeze to be extended and does not expect that to create any unmanageable problems for cities, counties and other local units.
“I have not heard any of the local government units in my district say that the four percent limitation is a problem,” he added.
With the expected increase in electric vehicles and hybrids on the state’s roads and highways, there is a general expectation in the statehouse that changes will have to be made to equalize how road repairs and construction is funded. There is also a two-year study group looking at this and Holdman expects an increase in excise fees to be enacted in the 2025 session for EVs and hybrids.
“The bottom line is we’re not assessing enough to these owners for their use of the highways,” he said.
With the growing acceptance of the legalization of marijuana, even in Indiana’s neighboring states, Holdman, who has long opposed such a move, is beginning to see it as “inevitable. But it’s not going to happen this year,” he said.
The state senate will be watching the 2024 race for the Indiana governor’s office with at least as much interest as the public. There are six Republicans vying for the nomination in the May primary. The victor will then likely face former Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Jennifer McCormick in November.
While he may share an opinion privately about the Republican race, “it’s a crowded field,” Holdman replied when asked about his perspective. “That’s all I’ll say.”
miller@news-banner.com
