Indiana
Indiana lawmakers float alternative property tax solution
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The House’s top budget writer on Wednesday said Indiana’s local tax system is ultimately behind many of the problems that have brought property taxes to the fore.
For the second week in a row, the House Ways and Means Committee took testimony on Senate Bill 1, the property tax relief bill that has become the signature issue of the 2025 legislative session. Committee Chair Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Lizton, on Wednesday floated a new proposal that would replace the bill’s current language with a property tax proposal he filed earlier this session.
Thompson’s amendment would phase out the state’s current property tax deductions and replace them with a single homestead deduction amounting to two-thirds of a home’s assessed valuation, or one-third of assessed value for homes eligible for the state’s property tax circuit breaker. The circuit breaker is for low-income homeowners age 65 and older, and limits any increase in their property taxes to 2% per year. The measure also contains several tax provisions unrelated to property taxes.
Thompson said the state’s constitution mandates setting property tax rates but, in practice, many of the state’s property taxes are levies, meaning the total amount of funds a local government unit may collect on a rate. He said his goal is ultimately to set a single, equal rate across the state of $3 per $100 assessed value.
“If you raise the rate (under the current system), I get more dollars for my unit and the other units lose,” he said. “And if I lower the rate, the other units gain and my unit loses, and my taxpayers didn’t see a penny change. And to me, that’s the most important part of the bill.”
That goal drew pointed questions from Democrats on the committee. Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, asked who would be responsible for ensuring individual taxing districts did not exceed the maximum rate. Thompson said that’s the General Assembly’s job.
The question of how to balance property tax relief with the needs of local services such as police, fire and schools has driven this year’s debate over SB 1. Thompson’s proposal still would cost local governments more than $736 million per year by 2031 but, unlike earlier versions of SB 1, some local taxing units would gain revenue. For example, Indianapolis Public Schools would lose about $9.4 million in 2031 but the tax district that funds Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department would bring in an additional $8.1 million. That’s in part because the bill also would allow municipalities to set local income tax rates of up to 1.2%.
Thompson’s committee took several hours of testimony on his amendment but intentionally did not take any action on it. The language of his amendment has not been added into the bill. Thompson said the bill is still very much an ongoing conversation and his amendment does not necessarily represent his committee’s final plan. He said he expects to hear additional proposals in the coming weeks.
On this episode of “Week in Review,” we cover the Indiana gambling case, the Bears’ 2026 schedule release and the Bulls landing the No. 4 draft pick. We also look at Jim’s Original moving after 85 years and Chicago Fire FC’s new McDonald’s Park stadium name. Plus, Cole Kmet joins Cop on a Rooftop, a White Sox phenom goes one on one and more top stories from around Chicago.
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — More than 50 Indiana law enforcement agencies are taking to the roof to help local athletes.
Police and safety officers will be stationed around various Dunkin’ Donuts, taking up donations for the Special Olympics. People who monetarily donate will receive a coupon for a free donut. Those who donate $10 or more will receive a coupon for a free medium hot coffee.
“Supporting the Special Olympics isn’t just an event for us — it’s a commitment to people who inspire us every day,” Sergeant Wes Rowlader said. “These athletes show what determination, courage, and community truly look like. Every dollar we raise helps transform that spirit into training, competition, and lifelong confidence.”
More than 20,000 Hoosier athletes train and compete for free within the Special Olympics. To date, Cop on a Rooftop has raised more than $125,000 for Special Olympics Indiana.
The Indiana State Police will be at the Dunkin’ Donuts at 9821 Lima Road in Fort Wayne from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Friday.
A man’s family is demanding answers after he was shot by a security guard inside a hospital emergency room waiting area on Tuesday night in Gary, Indiana.
Methodist Northlake Hospital officials said, around midnight Tuesday night, its security staff responded quickly after a patient took out a gun. The hospital said he’d threatened to shoot himself or others.
The hospital commended the security guard who shot the man for “neutralizing the threat and helping ensure the safety of our patients and employees.”
Family members identified the man who was shot as Otis Brown. They said he is a kind father to a 12-year-old boy.
“Just a great person, a happy-go-lucky, always out there trying to do the right thing,” said his fiancée, Stacey Taylor.
Taylor said she was on a business trip when she got a call that Brown had been shot multiple times.
“Scared, uncertainty; you know, what story is right? You know, what happened?” she said.
After he was shot, Brown was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center for treatment.
Taylor said she had no idea why Brown went to Methodist Northlake Hospital in the first place. His family said he was trying to leave the hospital when the shooting happened, claiming that the hospital gave him his gun back after he was cleared to leave.
“We just want to get answers, just want to know what happened, particularly when people are defaming his name,” Taylor said.
She and Brown’s family hope the hospital has surveillance video footage that can help provide answers.
Gary police have not provided any details on the shooting. The Lake County Sheriff’s Department said it is investigating the shooting at the request of Gary police, but did not provide any further information.
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