Post by Logan on Mar 7, 2016 4:38:13 GMT -6
6 key issues facing lawmakers in last week of 2016 legislative session
The 2016 legislative session is nearing its end, but a number of key issues remain unresolved. Lawmakers will continue working on them, with plans to wrap up by Thursday, though by law they have until March 14 to complete their work. Here are six of the top issues left.
Highway funding (House Bill 1001 and Senate Bill 333)
This clash between Gov. Mike Pence and House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, is likely to come down to the wire.
Bosma and House Republicans want to increase taxes on fuel and cigarettes to pay for what they call a long-term, sustainable plan to pay for bridge and highway maintenance. But tax increases are a tough sell in an election year, so the deal was sweetened with a proposed 5 percent income tax cut – something Pence sought in 2013, only to have lawmakers deny it.
The governor and Senate Republicans, however, say they won’t support a tax increase. They favor a short-term, four-year road funding plan that banks heavily on the state’s roughly $2 billion reserves.
Read more: www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2016/03/07/6-key-issues-facing-lawmakers-last-week-2016-legislative-session/81324708/
The 2016 legislative session is nearing its end, but a number of key issues remain unresolved. Lawmakers will continue working on them, with plans to wrap up by Thursday, though by law they have until March 14 to complete their work. Here are six of the top issues left.
Highway funding (House Bill 1001 and Senate Bill 333)
This clash between Gov. Mike Pence and House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, is likely to come down to the wire.
Bosma and House Republicans want to increase taxes on fuel and cigarettes to pay for what they call a long-term, sustainable plan to pay for bridge and highway maintenance. But tax increases are a tough sell in an election year, so the deal was sweetened with a proposed 5 percent income tax cut – something Pence sought in 2013, only to have lawmakers deny it.
The governor and Senate Republicans, however, say they won’t support a tax increase. They favor a short-term, four-year road funding plan that banks heavily on the state’s roughly $2 billion reserves.
Read more: www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2016/03/07/6-key-issues-facing-lawmakers-last-week-2016-legislative-session/81324708/