2010 Indiana local government spending is down $3 billion from 2009

This is the "wish" budget local governments submit to the state for funding
Adopted Budget History 2006-2010

This is the budget the state approves for each local government
Certified Budget History 2006-2010

Under the Daniels administration local government spending significantly decreased. Here's the big picture.

2006: $16.5 billion
2007: $17.1 billion
2008: $17.7 billion
2009: $17.8 billion
2010: $14.7 billion

I'm not sure exactly how much property tax was saved as a result of our activism which caused the legislature to lower property tax. My guess is we saved citizens about $800,000 to $1 billion off their property tax bills. A big portion of reduced spending is the result of declining income and sales tax revenues due to the economy.

For a long time I felt like we didn't win because we did not get repeal of property tax. However I believe had we not been relentless in our push for repeal of property tax, government spending would be higher than it is today, and citizens would keep less of their money. While I am happy there is a move in the right spending direction, we still need to do more.

HFFT welcomes help in the analysis of the data which is now published by the State of Indiana.

Together, we are making a difference.