INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Indiana Democrat leaders will present their infrastructure funding program to the General Assembly today. The plan will provide up to $900 million each year without raising taxes, fees or tolls.
“Today, the people of Indiana find they have a choice in determining how we solve the crisis that is facing our state’s infrastructure,” said House Democratic Leader Scott Pelath from Michigan City. “House Republicans have advanced a proposal that increases the taxes you pay at the pump and at your local license branch, and raises the specter of new toll roads across our state. House Democrats believe we can do more — without raising new taxes or providing new tolls on roads — by ensuring that government lives within its means, and making sure that one class of taxpayers is not unfairly burdened with paying the freight for road repairs.”
Here is a brief synopsis of the Democrat proposal:
- Dedicating each year’s state agency budget reversions toward state and local road funding.
- Ensuring that all state sales taxes paid at the pump go toward state and local road funding.
- Ensuring that all revenue from the special fuels sales tax go to state and local roads.
- Allowing the Next Generation Trust Fund to be used for local road loans.
- Freezing the tax rates charged to corporations and financial institutions, and using the state funds that were to be used to finance future cuts toward state and local roads.
The complete plan can be found here indianahousedemocrats.org/roads/.
The Republican leadership has proposed an increase in the gas tax and vehicle fees as a way to fund a long-term infrastructure plan.
