Preschool advocates urge ‘aggressive’ action from lukewarm lawmakers
Preschool advocates want the Indiana Legislature to spend $50 million a year to expand the state’s pilot program. So far, lawmakers seem cool to that idea.
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Holcomb calls to use $500M fund from Toll Road lease to fund entrepreneurship
Gov.-elect Eric Holcomb, who announced his legislative agenda Thursday, has roughly the same idea as Gov. Mike Pence when it comes to investing in early-stage Indiana companies, but wants to pay for the plan through a different fund.
Budget top priority as lawmakers head back to Statehouse
As GOP leaders preach frugality ahead of the annual legislative session that kicks off Tuesday, they are also planning for a big increase in infrastructure spending—and are considering raising taxes of some kind to pay for it.
Indiana lawmakers set to kick off annual legislative session
The Senate will gavel in for this year's session at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. The House will gavel in Wednesday at the same time.
Legislature served smorgasbord of taxes, tolls, fees as road funding options
An increase in state gas taxes, tolling and a vehicle fee are among many possibilities suggested by a task force to pay for road improvements expected to cost as much as $1.2 billion annually.
State projects $435M less revenue in 2017 than previously expected
The long-term forecast was sunnier, with revenue projected to increase 2.9 percent in 2018 and 3.9 percent in 2019.
State won’t have enough cash to fulfill wish lists
Legislative leaders have sounded alarm bells over state revenue figures, saying lawmakers will need to take a cautious approach to investing in new programs such as expanding state-funded preschool and raising teacher pay.
Holcomb to keep Vincent as budget office director
Micah Vincent has served as director of the Office of Management and Budget since 2015 after he was tapped for the role by Gov. Mike Pence.
Indiana GOP leaders say funding for pre-K, roads are priorities
At Tuesday’s Organization Day, Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma called for lawmakers to move past a "rough" campaign season and refocus on the priorities of state government when the Legislature convenes in early January.
Attendance dip complicating Indy Eleven’s stadium quest
The Indy Eleven are succeeding on the field this year, but struggling to maintain their spot as North American Soccer League attendance leader. And serious concerns about the NASL’s future have emerged, casting an even bigger shadow over the local team.
Indiana could see a push for school choice savings accounts
Critics worry the accounts would be too unregulated and could divert even more money from public schools.
Pence touts Indiana economy in VP pitches
Indiana economists and finance experts have mixed reviews about how much of what Pence has touted on the campaign trail should be credited to him.
City considers using one-time burst of tax revenue to reduce deficit
Most of the special disbursement has to be spent on transportation funding, but the city can decide what to do with 25 percent of its $53 million distribution.
County gets $59M as part of local road-funding package
The distribution is part of $505 million that county auditors have distributed to local government units statewide, $435 million of which can be used for transportation funding.
Lawrance returns to Chamber, to push for more road funding
Mark Lawrance spent 14 years at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce before heading to the Indiana University Public Policy Institute two years ago. Now he’s back at the Chamber in a new role.
Savvy strategy helped Pence get full Regional Cities funding
IEDC’s decision to leave all three winning regions in limbo about funding meant many more cheerleaders when the issue went to the General Assembly.
Tax increase for Indiana road funding appears unlikely
Efforts by the Indiana House to finance infrastructure improvements by raising taxes increasingly appear to be doomed during the legislative session that wraps up this week.
Lawmakers still debating long-term vs. short-term road money
A Senate committee stripped tax increases out of a road funding bill, but the House speaker says the legislature needs to look beyond just the next election.
Indiana bicentennial projects face funding shortfall
Planners thought most of the $53.5 million earmarked for projects would come from leasing excess space on the state’s 310 cellphone towers. But the Legislative Services Agency estimates those leases will bring $10 million to $12 million over the next 10 years.
UPDATE: Future income tax cut added to road-funding plan
A future 5 percent cut in Indiana's individual income tax rates is being added to a legislative proposal that would boost gasoline and cigarette taxes to increase road funding.