Rep. Borders attends rally supporting property tax caps

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Submitted photo SHOWNG HIS SUPPORT -- Rep. Bruce Borders signed a petition Tuesday urging Speaker of the House Pat Bauer to hear Senate Joint Resolution 1.

District 45 State Rep. Bruce Borders (R-Jasonville) on Tuesday joined Gov. Mitch Daniels, other legislators and Indiana citizens in support of permanent property tax caps at a rally at the Statehouse.

Gov. Daniels urged the legislature to pass Senate Joint Resolution 1, which would make the current statutory caps permanent.

"Permanent property tax caps are all about making good on our promises," said Rep. Borders. "There's no denying things are tight right now, and the public needs to know we're behind them 100 percent."

Property tax caps set residential property taxes at 1 percent of the property's value, while farmland is capped at 2 percent and commercial property taxes are set at 3 percent.

The Indiana Senate has passed SJR 1, but House Speaker Pat Bauer (D-South Bend) has not yet decided if the Indiana House will hear the legislation.

"SJR 1 needs to be passed now, this session," said Rep. Borders. "If we wait, we're showing the taxpayer that we don't care if they lose their home, farm or business because of out-of-control property taxes.

"I firmly believe this may be the only opportunity we ever get to pass these protective caps, and Pat Bauer and his high-tax buddies are killing it."

The rally was held by the Hoosier Property Tax Alliance, which is composed of citizens and corporations who encourage property tax reform that that preserves and grows Indiana's economy, helps homeowners and is permanent. The group is also concerned with fairness and government accountability in property tax policy.

To drive home the point that property tax caps need to be considered now, House Republican Leader Brian Bosma (R-Indianapolis) has installed countdown clocks in his office and outside the House of Representatives chamber. The clocks count down the days, hours, minutes and seconds left until it's too late to pass SJR 1 in the 2009 session.

Comments

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Elvis and Daniels want to cap your property taxes at 1% and make their self look and sound good but they won't tell you that in the coming years the assessed value of your home will increase so therefore your taxes will go up.

-- Posted by lakerfan08 on Wed, Mar 11, 2009, at 7:55 PM

This 1% aint jack,

Wait till the federal stuff comes knocking on your door.

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jes my 2 cents worth, (now taxable)

-- Posted by hilljak on Wed, Mar 11, 2009, at 9:25 PM

JamesMadison is right. We have to have some kind of increase in taxs but use them the right way. If we loose the quality of our public servants or loose them all together our communities will fall apart. I also find it interesting the Mitch Daniels wants to build 6 additionnal cell houses for the department of corrections to house the offenders that are in county jails which will save money but Bruce Borders voted against him. Doesent sound like the republican party is working together very well. If Daniels wants to build more cell houses 3 of which would be at the prison in Carlisle we will need the money from somewhere to build them but in the long run we will save money. But people like Bruce Border does not see the big picture. He is a nice guy but not a good politician and a lot of people do not see that.

Lets get real here folks. If you want to have good roads and maintain public safety with public servants some taxs willhave to go up.

-- Posted by runner on Thu, Mar 12, 2009, at 9:44 AM

I love how Mitch tries to make tax cuts so cut and dry(as do many Republicans). I don't like paying taxes anymore than the next person, but I do realize many things I often take for granted(and many things I don't take for granted) is paid through tax dollars.

Mitch would love to make things look better on paper. Low property taxes look great on paper. Higher property values look great on paper. The problem is it won't benefit those actually paying the taxes.

-- Posted by GCC on Thu, Mar 12, 2009, at 10:35 AM

This article leaves out the interesting fact that SJR 1 would amend the state constitution to put the cap in place. The Constitution is not the place for tax policy. We have tax laws to make tax policy. The constitution is for basic, fundamental rights. I think the Governor and co. are using the Constitution to make a political statement about taxation. They could just write a bill. Tax policy, unlike something like voting rights, is something you want flexibility with in the long-term.

-- Posted by circle on Thu, Mar 12, 2009, at 10:48 AM

What about the Linton Miner Football Team getting recognized at the State house?? That is WAY more exciting!!!

That's a great "hometown" story.

-- Posted by redbird08 on Thu, Mar 12, 2009, at 11:49 AM