Bloomington’s State Representative Matt Pierce opposes tax cut
Matt Pierce, a Democrat, who has served as District 61 (Bloomington) State Representative for 20 consecutive years, was public in his opposition to a proposed tax cut for Hoosiers in a time of great economic challenge.
“Do tax cuts really work as an economic stimulus?” asked Pierce during last week’s Ways and Means House Committee meeting.
The topic was Indiana House Bill 1002, which is proposed to cut individual Indiana income tax from 3.23% to 3.0%, repeal the utility receipts and utility services taxes, eliminate the 30% minimum floor on new business personal property (BPP), create a state income tax credit for that BPP currently taxed, and make Indiana standard a single direct tax by eliminating the double direct sales tax.
Representative Pierce said, ‘We have a problem with value, not price. Being a low cost of living location is not a winning strategy. We must improve value.”
Although Indiana improving value on the dime of taxpayers during a time of skyrocketing inflation; and, coming off of a year of record-breaking unemployment . . . all while holding one of the largest reserves in state history, seems contrary to constituent interests.
Representative Pierce has implied that instead of providing residents was a refund of excess money they have paid to the state government, that the government is better equipped to spend that money on their behalf. Indiana HB1002, if approved by the combined Legislature and signed into law by Governor Holcomb, would credit taxpayers with an estimated $120 or more dollars this tax season. The expected Indiana state surplus is projected to be over $5 Billion by the end of calendar year 2022.
Investigation is underway after a body was found inside parking garage
An unidentified body was found in the parking garage of the Horseshoe Indianapolis Racing and Casino just after 2pm on Sunday. They Shelby County Coroner’s Office responded, and is working with law enforcement agencies on the death investigation. An autopsy for the case is scheduled for Monday afternoon.
Bloomington’s Art of Chocolate 2022 is postponed until further notice
LIFEDesigns of Bloomington has announced that their annual February fundraising event has been postponed in order to, “protect all of [their] supporters.” Instead of the in-person event, the organization is planning a series of virtual events over the next couple of months. The popular silent online will be online, starting Monday, February 14th at 8am, and run through Saturday, February 19th at 8pm.
This Week in Hoosier History
1922 -The Indiana Theater opened in Terre Haute. The first program for the new “movie palace” was a silent film entitled Cappy Ricks. Music for the motion picture was provided by the Indiana Symphonic Orchestra.
For more local news . . .
Check out our archived episodes of What’s Happenin’ and Talkin’ Sports with Nick Jenkinson here