Gov. Mike Braun previews budget on Jan. 16, 2025-Courtesy of Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle
INDIANAPOLIS – Gov. Mike Braun detailed his first budget proposal Thursday, prioritizing education and Medicaid increases while demanding big savings from agencies and cuts to a public health program.
The former school board member also had tough words for schools that might see a fiscal hit from the property tax cuts he is pushing.
He specifically challenged his eight cabinet secretaries to identify 5% savings — “on average” — across the agencies they oversee to pay for priorities like education spending, universal vouchers, and tax reform.
However, Braun didn’t have specific examples of savings, instead saying that curbing health care costs and the implementation of new technology could help. He didn’t rule out implementing another 5% cut in the next biennial budget, set to be drafted in 2027.
“There’s going to be some low-hanging fruit in there, but there’s nothing that’s not going to be looked at,” Braun said. “We’re just at the beginning of it.”
Read more of the Whitney Downard story for the Indiana Capital Chronicle, here.
