DANIELS PROMISES MAJOR PROPERTY TAX REFORM

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz (from Indiana Barrister)
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels says if he gets his way, many changes are coming to Indiana's property tax structure. Speaking this weekend at a convention of Young Republicans in Indianapolis, Daniels said he would seek major and permanent changes to the property tax problem which could include a "constitutional element."

At the request of the Governor, former Governor Joe Kernan and Indiana Supreme Court Justice Randall Shepard are heading up a task force to reform government in the state.

Daniels also criticized the number of boards in Indiana whose members are unelected but still have the ability to raise taxes. He said "no one is in charge" and "they [local governments] match your pocket book to their spending, and it should be the other way around," pointing to the fact that local governments set their budgets, which later become the levies which are paid for through property taxes.

"This is high stakes stuff", Daniels noted, "and we must get it right."

WXNT Producer Chris Spangle contributed to this report.