INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (NETWORK INDIANA): Indiana Democrats believe Hoosiers are unable to live free with how the state is being run by Republicans.
That was the overall sentiment from State Rep. Phil GiaQuinta (D), who serves as the House minority leader. He spoke to the General Assembly as they gaveled in to start the legislative session on Monday.
“When I look around at communities across Indiana, I don’t see freedom,” he told lawmakers. “If we are honest with ourselves we must admit most Hoosiers can’t get ahead. In fact, the numbers tell us that most Hoosiers are fighting to stay afloat financially. They aren’t able to save.”
GiaQuinta and House Democrats have rolled out what they are calling their “economic freedom agenda.” It has many of the basics that have been pushed over the last few years such as calls for raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.
But, GiaQuinta was emphatic that lawmakers must address shortcomings when it comes to Hoosier property taxes.
“Let’s deal with the ballooning property tax bills looming over homeowners’ heads and let’s give them a homestead credit funded by state surplus dollars,” said GiaQuinta. “Let’s address housing and utility costs by cracking down on corporate greed. Let’s also increase the renter deduction.”
On Education, GiaQuinta wants to enact and expand access to universal pre-K in order to help improve problems with the state’s literacy rate, especially among third graders.
Where Democrats and Republicans seem to agree out of the gate is the subject of a “13th check’ which is better explained as legislation to make up for the cost of living increases that Indiana’s retirees are facing as they try to make due on a fixed income. This would be a one-time payment to make up that gap.
Gov. Holcomb’s agenda and the GOP’s agenda differ as you may expect, but still have solutions they say will help shore up education and help parents who need early childhood services. Holcomb is also focusing on economic development to lay the groundwork for a better quality of place in Indiana.
