Ways and Means Committee Votes on Budget

Members of the Indiana House Ways and Means Committee today worked through a list of thirty two amendments to the one year budget being proposed by House Democrats. There were no amendments filed in the committee hearing that drastically altered the House Democrats budget proposal. But there were a number of changes made regarding spending priorities within the budget. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland has the highlights.

Legislative Leaders Set Gambling Conflict For Special Session

With just days left until Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels submits his plan for the budget that will be negotiated during the special session, some legislative leaders are laying down a few of their stipulations for that budget. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland reports.

April Report Shows State Revenue Down

April revenue reports, released today, show the state brought in about 255 million dollars less than expected. Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels says that number means legislators will need to cut a billion dollars more than expected when they return for a special session. Daniels says despite the declines and lack of predictability, he still does not support a one year budget, as proposed by House Democrats.

“I honestly think there’s another way, there are other ways, to accomplish the same thing and to deal with that uncertainty. A budget could be written with triggers that say that more spending can be added if revenues surprise on the up side or more spending can be subtracted if revenues continue to disappoint on the down side.”

Income tax revenues were down thirty one percent from a year ago and sales tax collections also dropped twelve percent. Governor Daniels says he wants a new revenue forecast from the state budget committee before he will call a special session. After failing to pass a budget during the regular session that ended last week, lawmakers must now approve a budget before the new fiscal year begins on July first.

General Assembly Headed to Special Session

The Indiana General Assembly is headed for a special session after failing to pass its only constitutionally required legislation, the state budget. Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Marianne Holland reports.