Lawmakers gathered in Ellettsville to discuss the 2025 Legislative Session. From left to right: State Rep. Dave Hall, State Rep. Peggy Mayfield, State Sen. Shelli Yoder, State Rep. Bob Heaton
(Donnie Burgess, WFIU/WTIU News)
The financial impact of property tax reform on cities and towns was the main topic of Friday’s legislative panel in Ellettsville.
Elected officials from Monroe County joined residents to discuss Senate Bill 1 and how lawmakers will compensate for less money for public safety and other county services.
The panel included Sen. Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington), Rep. Peggy Mayfield (R-Martinsville), Rep. Bob Heaton (R-Terre Haute), Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington), and Rep. Dave Hall (R-Nashville).
Hall represents portions of Monroe and Jackson counties and all of Brown County. He spoke with WFIU/WTIU News after the panel. He said a bill that gives counties the option to charge an extra dollar to enter state parks, could help Brown County in the long run.
“They’re keeping their nose above water and they’re paying what they need to,” Hall said. “Senate Bill 1 will probably have a negative impact on them if we see these reductions for local government, so this is a way to sort of help them sustain that.”
Hall estimates the entrance fee increase could generate up to $120,000 for the county. He also said Innkeepers Tax increases in another bill would provide additional revenue for counties.
During the panel discussion, Sen. Yoder said if wages and cost of living were keeping up with Indiana's property tax rate, some Hoosiers may not feel as desperate for relief.
"The reality is our property taxes are on the low end compared to every other state in the country, but Hoosiers are feeling it because they're having to pay more with less," Yoder said.
State Rep. Heaton agreed with Yoder's perspective, adding lawmakers still have several weeks to debate the financial impacts of Senate Bill 1.
"There's a fine line there between police and fire, schools, and so forth," Heaton said. "We have to work something out."
State Rep. Hall also addressed large-scale cuts made by the federal government since President Donald Trump took office.
Hall said while the federal government should be trying to reduce the near $37-trillion national debt, it should also be cautious when making cuts that hurt local Hoosier communities.
“So, I think anytime you’re cutting fat, sometimes you cut a little too deep and get into the muscle,” Hall said. “So, I’m hoping to see, as quickly as they’ve been cutting, that they react if they see that they’ve cut too much, to react and plug that back in.”
State Rep. Mayfield said lawmakers continue to be cautious when crafting budgets.
"Like everybody else, if you don't know the money is coming, its hard to appropriate money," Mayfield said. "We're trying to create a very conservative budget that we can pivot on, if needed. It's a very challenging time and we won't know until the last minute what's going to happen."
