Candidates for Indiana Governor push plans to lower property taxes

 

SAINT JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- It's a three-way race for Indiana Governor.

Republican Mike Braun, Democrat Jennifer McCormick, and Libertarian Donald Rainwater are all hoping to replace incumbent Eric Holcomb, whose term limited out of office at the end of this year.

One of the key issues all three candidates are highlighting as they push for final votes, and one a lot of Saint Joseph County voters say is important to them, is high property taxes.

Senator Mike Bruan is proposing to combat high property taxes by overhauling the Homestead Deduction, which he says would result in a 21% reduction in average homeowner tax bills.

Further, his plan will freeze future property tax increases by capping the increase at 2% for seniors, low-income Hoosiers, and families with children under 18. Everyone else will be capped at 3%.

"Of course, we were the first campaign that released a proposal and now that people understand it, they love the idea that it can't go up faster than the robust growth of the economy," explains Republican candidate for Governor, Mike Braun.

As Governor, Libertarian Donald Rainwater keeps true homeownership at the forefront but brings a unique idea for property taxes. He wants to limit taxes to 1% of the purchase price of the property or assessed value, whichever is lower, paid for in seven years.

"Your property taxes should never go up, and they should have an end date where you actually own your property, and the government can't take it from you anymore. One percent a year for seven years, explains Donald Rainwater, Libertarian candidate for Governor.

In Democrat Jennifer McCormick's Commonsense Property Tax Relief Plan, she aims to cap property tax bills increases at 10%, as well as expand deductions for senior citizens, low-income families, and veterans.

She says her plan will keep the betterment of the middle class first.

"None of us want our taxes to go up, nobody wants to pay more in our taxes but yet we need more revenue to come in so we're competitive and our quality of life goes up," says Jennifer McCormick, Democratic candidate for Governor.