News

From the Tribune this morning:

LAKEVILLE — Gov. Mitch Daniels stopped short of saying he would seek to eliminate property taxes in Indiana here Tuesday, but suggested the issue is one that requires examination. "We ought to look and see," Daniels said in response to a question. "We certainly need to head in that direction and go as far as we can."

State Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Lakeville, has been an advocate of eliminating property taxes altogether.

On Tuesday, she suggested that property taxes could be replaced by a combination of increased sales and income taxes and a reduction in spending.

Right now, she said, several different tax plans have been suggested, but none are on the table for discussion. "If ever we have a shot at long-term property tax reform, it will be while he's governor," Walorski said, indicating she meant Daniels... more

Boston

I just returned from a Legislative Conference and learned that several states are looking at the repeal of property taxes as an option for the changing dynamics of their individual tax structures.

Georgia is wiping out their entire tax structure including property tax, gas tax, etc. and replacing the entire system with 2 flat taxes, income & sales, same amount across the board.

Florida is losing their senior citizen population who retire & live there as residents and property taxes have soared out of control so they are looking at eliminating residential property taxes in their next session.

Our effort to at least get the elimination of property taxes on the table as a "possible solution" is gaining much momentum in the past week. The Indiana Farm Bureau has now tossed their hat into the ring and brings many more thousands of grassroots people wanting to see change.

I am more optimistic today, than I was last week, that we have a real chance to usher in long term property tax reform because of the crisis half of the State is experiencing in this latest tax fiasco. We have a window of opportunity to change our system of taxation. If we move quickly, we could actually get a new tax plan on the ballot in May '08 and allow Hoosiers to vote on a referendum...what a great day that would be!

Back from Boston Conference

I'm finally back from an awesome conference in Boston. I found out that Florida has now joined the list of States looking to eliminate property taxes! They will be voting on the elimination of residential property taxes. I'll post more details later.

Property Tax March

On July 22nd, I led a march of 200 people to eliminate property taxes in our State. If you agree we need to get rid of this unfair system of taxation, please click here and let me know.

Some pics from the march.

.

Ammendment to Stop Mass Mental Screening of Indiana Kids

State Representative Jakie Walorski introducing ammendment to to Stop mass Mental Screening of Indiana Kids

Rep. Walorski supports alternative fuels

"To study a variety of renewable energy resources, alternative fuel House Bill (HB) 1285 recently passed out of the Indiana House of Representatives by 86-0. It calls for the Environmental Quality Service Council (EQSC) to study the most effective way of implementing the Renewable Fuels Standards of the federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 for the State of Indiana. Such a standard would require all gasoline sold in the state to contain ethanol, which is made from corn, and all diesel fuel sold to contain biodiesel, which is made from soybeans. The bill will now move to Governor Daniels' desk for consideration.

'We should be examining ways to make our state one of the leaders of alternative fuels,' said Representative Jackie Walorski (R-Lakeville), who co-authored the bill. 'Indiana has the resources necessary to sustain much of the country's needs for ethanol and biofuels.'"

More at Renewable Energy Access.

Walorski attends ribbon cutting for IUSB pedestrian bridge

"A mere 365 days were all that separated the groundbreaking and the dedication ceremonies for the pedestrian bridge at Indiana University South Bend. However, there were many busy days in between those two construction rites of passage. The culmination came on November 30. A cold rain stopped falling just long enough for a crowd of nerly 100 people to witness the ribbon-cutting that symbolized a new era for IU South Bend.

State Rep. Jackie Walorski proudly spoke of the importance of the bridge to the campus and community. "IU South Bend is the most progressive of the campuses," she said. And she is proud to be a part of all the changes and what will happen next."

More at http://www.chancellor.iusb.edu/2005-06ChancellorsAnnualReport.pdf