Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith took to X, formerly known as Twitter, over the weekend to criticize Senate Bill 1.
In his 4 p.m. Saturday post, Beckwith said he’d been on the phone “all day” with Indiana residents and government officials about the controversial state senate bill.
“NOBODY understands this thing… including me!” Beckwith posted. “On that basis alone we can’t let this become law.”
Beckwith said Gov. Mike Braun needs to veto the property tax bill, which must return to the Senate before heading to the governor’s desk. He asks Braun to call a special session to pass a bill “that the average Hoosier can understand without hiring (an) army of lawyers and accountants.”
A spokesperson for Beckwith declined to further comment on the lieutenant governor’s concerns in a Monday email.
Senate Bill 1 was initially the property tax relief plan that Braun campaigned on. In the Indiana Senate, it was amended to offer property tax relief by adjusting the percentage cap used to determine the maximum levy growth quotient, according to Post-Tribune archives.
The bill passed the state senate in a 37-10 vote on Feb. 17. It moved to the House Ways and Means committee March 3.
Senate Bill 1 has since been renamed as a local government finance bill and includes elements of of three bills: Senate amended Senate Bill 1, Senate Bill 518, requiring school corporations to share referendum funds with charter schools, and House Bill 1402, which includes a 5-year phase-in of exemptions and deductions to ensure every parcel hits the property tax cap.
Since the Indiana House added an amendment to the bill, the Senate must look over the bill again before Braun can move forward.
The House’s amendment will allow for an additional $100 deduction in property taxes, raising the total savings in property taxes up to $300 for the majority of homeowners in pay-2026, according to Post-Tribune archives.
Homeowners can see $1.5 billion in property tax relief through the three years, which would be accomplished by shifting the standard deduction credit to no more than $300, Rep. Jefferey Thompson, R-Lizton — who proposed the amendment — told the Indiana House.
Following the House’s approval of the amendment, Braun posted his support for their decision, saying Thursday that the bill offers meaningful tax relief for Indiana residents.
“The plan is to CUT, CAP and REFORM means relief now and systemic changes for the future to protect taxpayers,” Braun posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Thank you to the House for their hard work and I look forward to the Senate sending this to my desk for signature next week!”
In a Wednesday X post, Braun said the amendment puts a cap on how much income can be taxed locally and “cuts the total local income tax rate by 23% from 3.755 to 2.9%.”
Before the House sent the bill back to the Senate, the Lake County Council passed a resolution opposing a bill provision that eliminates business personal property tax relief, according to Post-Tribune archives.
The resolution claims that Lake County proposed property and business person tax cuts would be about tens of millions of dollars, which could result in cuts to services and stress on the county’s budget.
“The statewide local impact of the primary tax-related bills is estimated to be a staggering figure, that would cause widespread negative effects, increase tax burdens on individuals, while offering even more to businesses in an already business tax-friendly state,” the resolution said.
mwilkins@chicagotribune.com
