Raising the cigarette tax by $1 per pack would help pay for Medicaid spending and tobacco-cessation programs—and would help patch the $300 million annual hole in the budget created by the House’s road-funding plan.
Republican legislators are considering taking the next step toward adding a balanced budget amendment to the Indiana Constitution, despite claims it’s unnecessary.
Gov. Eric Holcomb is pushing a plan aimed at attracting new nonstop and direct flights to and from the Indianapolis International Airport.
The plan to skill up Indiana’s adult workforce could help prepare the state to fill an estimated 1 million jobs by 2025, most of which will be openings created by the impending retirements of baby boomers.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The long-term forecast was sunnier, with revenue projected to increase 2.9 percent in 2018 and 3.9 percent in 2019.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Critics worry the accounts would be too unregulated and could divert even more money from public schools.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
