Indiana’s Lieutenant Governor candidates all offer plans on property taxes and more

By Dave Blower Jr.

A standing-room-only crowd filled the Purdue Extension Building at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on Aug. 13 for the Lieutenant Governor Debate hosted by AgrIInstitute and sponsored by the Indiana Corn Growers Association and the Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Membership and Policy Committee.

Because Indiana’s Lieutenant Governor also serves as the state’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, the issues covered by the candidates were farm focused such as property taxes policies and managing water resources.

The candidates included:

• Republican Micah Beckwith, who is running along with GOP Governor nominee Sen. Mike Braun.

• Indiana State Director of USDA’s Rural Development Office Terry Goodin is on the Democratic Party’s ticket with Governor nominee Jennifer McCormick.

• Tonya Hudson, a real estate agent from Lawrence County, Ind., is seeking office along with Libertarian Party gubernatorial nominee Donald Rainwater.

Questioning the candidates were Hoosier Ag Today broadcaster Eric Pfeiffer, Indiana Prairie Farmer Field Editor Allison Lund, Director of Government Relations with The Nature Conservancy John Katzenberger, and Hardin Farms Manager David Hardin.

Opinions on property taxes

The rising price of property taxes in Indiana and those cost’s impact on Hoosier farmers was the leading debate topic. Beckwith explained that ultimately the legislators of the Indiana General Assembly will need to address property tax changes; however, he said he and Braun have created a plan that allows state lawmakers time to fix the policy.

“Farmers have seen an increase from last year this year of 26.2 percent in property taxes,” Beckwith said. “That’s insane. That’s absolutely out of control, and farmers need relief. The Braun Beckwith plan is going to bring that relief to farmers. We’re going to make sure that property taxes will never again be able to outpace the economic growth of an area. Mike Braun launched this plan that says 3 percent is going to be the cap. It can’t grow 26 percent in a year.”

Goodin blamed 20-year rule by the Republican Party in state government for rising property tax costs. He said the Braun-Beckwith plan was a “knee-jerk” reaction that would cut funding to police and fire departments and ambulance services as well as other vital public needs. Goodin also said Democrats do not have a property tax plan, yet, but do not favor shifting those costs from one tax to another.

“As we move forward, Jennifer McCormick and I will sit down, and we will look and see what kind of money the State of Indiana needs,” Goodin said. “Property taxes are 100 percent local. It’s easy for those folks to say that we’re going to be making cuts to your property tax until we find out what we can do to lower your property taxes – and that is through growth. We’re going to present opportunities in rural communities where they can grow themselves out of this property tax crisis that we’re in.”

Hudson promoted the elimination of property taxes and replacing them with revenue from sales taxes. Instead of property taxes, Hudson proposes home buyers pay a 7 percent sales tax at closing. If those home buyers can’t afford that tax, then they would have the option of paying 1 percent per year for the next seven years.

“I want to start by saying our legacy family farmers are parceling off part of their land to sell to get money to make ends meet. Hard times are hard for everybody – farmers and Hoosier small businesses,” she said. “The tax plan is to abolish property taxes because you should not be paying property taxes on a home that you already own. What happens if you’re a farmer or a senior citizen living on Social Security and barely making ends meet, and your property taxes go up, and you can’t pay them? Then we have this Mafia-style tactic where through a sheriff’s sale or whatever, if you can’t pay your property taxes, you get kicked out of the home that you own. We should not be doing that.”

Managing water resources

As a leader with The Nature Conservancy, Ketzenberger probed the candidates on environmental issues such as managing water resources. He wanted to know how state government should balance the needs of agriculture and economic development along with the environment.

Goodin said a proactive approach is essential. “We have to create a balance. There’s been too many wars in the past fought over oil. One of the most precious commodities that wars will be fought over in the future will probably be water,” Goodin said. “We’ve got to quit polluting our streams in the State of Indiana. We’ve got to come up with guidelines that will tell people, ‘Hey, you can’t dump battery acid in the river next door.’ It’s a shame that Midwestern states shipped hazardous material to Indiana after a train wreck in northern Ohio. Indiana was the recipient of all of those hazardous materials. Now, we’ve got to stop and think. That’s just not right.”

Beckwith said balance between agriculture, business and the environment is found with transparency. He added that local officials and voters should decide policies in their areas.

“We’re going to go to the locals. We’re going to make sure home rule still lives well and free in Indiana,” Beckwith said. “Good-hearted people in government will want to make sure that it’s done well and it’s done right so that we can grow local economies. We can grow small towns, and the whole state will prosper and benefit because of that. I really believe we can do it. It’s just got to start with transparency.”

Hudson focused on the critical need for clean water.

“Water shouldn’t have to be a commodity because it’s a necessary thing. We all must have it in our lives,” Hudson said. “We are stewards of the earth. We need to make sure we have clean water and clean air and work to make sure pollution and chemical runoff doesn’t get into our water supply. So, working with the legislators on that issue is what I would do as Lieutenant Governor.”

Candidates’ closing statements

Hudson advocates for less government and more free-market principles.

“Ask yourself, what would you do if you had more money in your pocket? What would you do with that money?” she asked. “It’s your hard-earned money. It’s not Mike Braun’s. It’s not Jennifer McCormick’s. You have a right to spend your money the way you want to, for your family and for yourself. We need to roll back the rules and regulations, cut taxes. Property taxes need to be abolished. If you’re spending more money, that will boost the economy.”

Goodin explained that Indiana needs leadership that is focused on the future.

“As I’ve traveled around the state in the last three years, I’ve talked to a lot of Hoosiers. Those Hoosiers told me, ‘All we need is an opportunity. We just want the opportunity to get a good job, so we can raise our families with dignity. We want our children to be able to have a better future,’” Goodin said. “They say, ‘We want our elected officials not to embarrass us in front of the world, and we want those elected leaders to follow the same rules, laws and guidelines that every other Hoosier follows. A McCormick-Goodin Administration will move Indiana forward.”

Beckwith said he and Sen. Braun have a vision for Indiana.

“I believe that the vision we need right now is for a bright future; a future that will produce prosperous results for family farms, for small farms, not just for the big conglomerates,” he said. “The fact is that Indiana agriculture is worth fighting for. I know a Braun-Beckwith Administration will be that warrior. I look at the Republican ticket right now – from the top all the way down – you’ve got some fighters. You have people who will fight for what they believe in. They’re going to fight for your families. They’re not going to get pushed aside by the cancel culture.”