Leaning to responsible choice

Will cooler heads prevail?
Despite a well-funded lobbying effort, it’s beginning to look that way.
Gov. Mike Pence is still hoping the Indiana General Assembly will trim the state’s income tax rate by 10 percent, but his own party’s leaders in the legislature aren’t buying it.
And neither are many of the governor’s friends among the Republican Party faithful, if the tepid response from the Marion County GOP this week is any indicator.
Even though the governor campaigned on the issue, party leaders know it wasn’t the deciding factor in his election.
They also know that after years of cuts and austerity during the Daniels administration the state’s public schools and basic infrastructure — roads, streets, and bridges — need better funding.
Part of the problem is that the impact of the proposed tax cut on Hoosier taxpayers would be pretty minimal.
It sounds impressive to call for cutting tax rates by 10 percent; it’s far less exciting when you do the math and realize the governor is talking about a change from the state’s current rate of 3.4 percent to a rate of 3.06 percent. And part of the problem is that Indiana communities know their schools and roads need better funding. Pothole season, meanwhile, has underscored that message.
National lobbying groups have now entered the picture, getting support from the Tea Party and some deep-pocket donors, but there’s reason to be skeptical about their involvement.
Are they really interested in what’s best for Indiana? Or do they just want to give a favored new governor something to brag about as he advances his career?
This time around, we’ll put our trust in House Speaker Brian Bosma and Senate President Pro Tem David Long. They’re both conservative Republicans, they’re experienced when it comes to dealing with the state budget, and they’re inclined to do what’s fiscally responsible. They represent the “cooler heads” that should prevail. — J.R.[[In-content Ad]]