Results are in

Survey results show District 33 has shifted in favor of a gas tax increase for purposes of road funding, though the results are far from unanimous.

Rep. Greg Beumer (R-Modoc) shared the results of his annual survey Friday, showing movement toward supporting the proposed gas tax increase. It also indicated more support than in previous years for allowing the carryout sale of alcohol on Sundays and strong backing for issues regarding education and veterans.

Beumer noted that while the survey is not scientific, it does provide him valuable information about what the voters in his district are thinking.

“For me personally, question by question is important, but it also helps me gauge the overall, ‘How conservative is my district?’” he said, noting that comments are especially useful because they offer a window into the respondents’ thinking. “It’s the bigger picture as well, because you can’t ask every single question.”

The most-discussed issue during this year’s legislative session has been road funding, with the Republicans in the statehouse proposing a plan that would include a gas tax increase.

At a Third House Session in Jay County earlier this month, Beumer noted that Indiana needs an additional $1.2 billion annually just to be able to maintain the state’s current roads. House Bill 1002 proposes increasing the gas tax by 10 cents — the first such increase since 2003 — and indexing that tax to inflation with a limit of a 1-cent increase per year in the future. It also calls for shifting all money brought in from the sales tax on gas to be used on roads and charging a $15 per-vehicle fee ($150 per electric vehicle) at the time of registration.

Respondents to Beumer’s survey supported increases in taxes and/or fees for road funding by a 46 percent to 41 percent margin, with the remainder undecided. That marks a change from the 2016 survey, which was about a 50-50 split on the issue.

“There are those people who still say, ‘I’m not crazy about it, but I’m OK with it if you can guarantee that that money is going to go (to roads),” said Beumer, noting that those in favor also want to make sure the funding is spread throughout the state and is not focused solely on the Indianapolis area and interstates.

He said those against the tax/fee increases typically indicate a desire to dip into cash reserves, which sit at about $2 billion. That money could go toward road funding, but would cover the state’s needs for less than two years.

“We haven’t raised the sales tax in 13 years, and the rate of inflation over that cumulative period of time has been over 30 percent,” said Beumer, adding that he expects some version of the road funding bill will move forward. “If we had the money, trust me, as Republicans we would not want to raise taxes.

“But I do think at the end of the day we will pass something and we’re going to stand shoulder to shoulder, house, senate, governor’s office, and we’re going to say, ‘We had to do it.’ Then the proof is spend the money wisely, get value for your dollar, and be able to show the state that it was a good move.”

The survey also showed respondents in favor of allowing Sunday sales of alcohol by a 4-percent margin, a change from a year ago when they voted 53 percent to 42 percent against.

Each of the other questions on the survey showed strong majorities, including on a question about support for requiring at least 65 percent of public school expenditures to go to the classroom. Seventy-seven percent of respondents were in favor.

Meanwhile, they voted 51 percent to 28 percent against (with 21 percent undecided) creating individual education savings accounts from state education funding.

“The point on this was, the people who said ‘no,’ said all you’re doing is taking more, again, out of public education,” Beumer said.

There was also strong support for providing free driver’s licenses to veterans, with 66 percent voting in favor.

On other questions, the results were as follows:

•Do you support expanding the sales tax to include the taxation of services if the overall sales tax rate was reduced? No – 56 percent; Yes – 30 percent; Undecided – 14 percent.

•Do you support the elimination of township government? No –  47 percent; Yes – 34 percent; Undecided – 19 percent.

•Do you believe Indiana should implement drug testing as a requirement for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (“food stamps”)? Yes – 83 percent; No – 14 percent; Undecided – 3 percent.