Governor Mike Pence and Speaker Brian Bosma are making nice after a legislative session where their disagreements over Pence’s tax cut proposal were often public.
Legislative leaders often expressed reluctance to endorse Governor Mike Pence’s call for a 10% income tax cut. Pence said that debate lasted until the final days of the 2013 session. The final agreement was a package that includes a five percent income tax cut spread over three years, beginning in 2015, immediate elimination of the inheritance tax and continued reduction of the corporate tax. Pence calls it the right tax cuts for the right time.
“So I kept on asking for what we had proposed but at the end of the day, I think the tax relief that we crafted together is better than what I was proposing,” said Pence.
Democrats have criticized the final package, saying the income tax cut is too small to make a noticeable difference for middle-class Hoosiers. Speaker Bosma said the economic benefit will come from the blend of tax cut and the statement Indiana’s making.
“The mere fact that we’re cutting income taxes in a substantive way I think is going to make us stick out from the rest of the crowd while we’re not covering that cut with other tax increases. That’s what’s happening elsewhere,” said Bosma.
When asked about the possibility of vetoes, Pence said there are still several bills he has concerns about though he would not give specifics. Bosma said it’s unlikely the House will override a veto of anything other than the budget.
