Republicans Still Have No Solution on Property Taxes With One Month Left of Session

INDIANAPOLIS - With just over a month to go before Sine Die is required by April 29, the Republican supermajority is still nearly as far away on a property tax bill as it was when the legislative session began in January.

"Governor Mike Braun promised Hoosier homeowners a "reset" to 2021 tax levels on homestead values during the campaign for governor last year. However, the reality at the Statehouse means this is looking like a broken promise to Hoosiers by Braun," said Indiana Democratic Party Spokesperson Sam Barloga. "Republicans do not deny that the average Hoosier homeowner would save less than $50 per year. The consequence: their local police departments, fire departments, and public schools struggle to provide basic services. On top of this, their plan would only shift a larger burden to rental properties, driving up the cost of housing on Hoosiers. It's a misguided plan that provides no real relief, and Hoosiers who need it most deserve better."

Neither GOP proposal provides Braun's promised "reset" and Republicans have admitted they cannot provide any tax relief to homeowners for the 2025 billing cycle.

The Senate-passed version of the bill would save the average Hoosier homeowner only $48 per year on their tax bill, with many homeowners not seeing a single cent in relief.

The version likely to be passed by the House would actually cause the average homeowner to see their rates increase, with the author hoping that bills wouldn't go up by as much.

All of this shows the GOP has no real plan for property taxes relief. With the clock ticking on the legislative session, it is incredibly unlikely Braun gets the plan he promised.

Republicans face a mutiny from local officials even within their own party who are sounding the alarm on what these bills will cut from funding for local public schools, police and fire departments, and other critical local services.

The Republican Mayor of Nappanee, where Trump received almost 80 percent of the vote in 2024, penned a letter to his citizens warning them about the inability to provide high-quality services if this bill is passed. In it, he says the fire and police service the city relies on could be forced to make cuts.

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