Menu
Redistricting, gas tax dominate Legislative Update
A proposal to take the responsibility for Indiana redistricting out of the hands of legislators is likely dead for the 2017 session of the Indiana General Assembly.
That was the report heard Saturday morning at the monthly Legislative Update session sponsored by the Putnam County Farm Bureau at its insurance office in Greencastle.
A plan authored by Greencastle native Jerry Torr, a Republican state representative from District 39, would establish an independent commission, rather than lawmakers, to draw Indiana election maps. The recommendation would still be subject to approval by the Legislature.
However, it is unlikely to see any further action this year let alone sniff approval after the House Committee on Elections and Apportionment declined to take a vote on the issue. The measure faces a looming deadline for committee action, but Rep. Milo Smith refused to allow a vote last week, saying lawmakers didn't have enough time to prepare amendments.
Several members of the Greencastle/Putnam County League of Women Voters were among the 300 people attending the committee meeting when Smith chose not to call it down for a hearing, League member Ann Newton told Saturday's gathering that posed questions to District 37 State Sen. Rod Bray (R- Martinsville).
Bray was alone on the firing line in the absence of State Rep. Jim Baird (R-Greencastle) and State Sen. John Crane (R-Avon) who were attending similar Saturday morning programs in Spencer and Hendricks County, respectively.
Supporters of House Bill 1014 say an independent panel drawing election maps could lead to fairer districts and more competitive races, helping put an end to gerrymandering tactics that have led to uncompetitive districts and low voter turnout.
Indiana's voter turnout of 28 percent was the lowest in the country in 2014, Newton noted.
In a related election matter, Sen. Bray was asked why independents or minor-party candidates need to secure 26,000 valid signatures just to get on the ballot and run for office statewide when a Republican or Democrat does not.
Bray said Senate Bill 418 lowers the number of signatures necessary.
The proposed legislation changes the number of voters required to sign a petition of nomination for president and vice president, the office of U.S. senator or a ticket for governor and lieutenant governor of a minor political party or an independent candidate from at least the number of voters equal to two percent of the total vote cast at the election for secretary of state to at least 4,500 voters (500 from each congressional district).
That bill, however, was officially withdrawn Monday.
Meanwhile, the Legislative Update audience also heard a progress report on House Bill 1002, which passed the Indiana House Thursday with a 61-36 vote.
The bill that would increase the state gas tax, boost vehicle registration fees, and open the door for statewide tolls on Indiana highways.
If the legislation passes, the state tax on gasoline, diesel and other motor vehicle fuels would increase by 10 cents per gallon.
Indiana motorists would also pay an extra $15 in vehicle registration fees at the BMV to help fund road repairs. However, motorists with electric cars would pay an additional $150 in fees since they would not be paying the gasoline tax at the pump.
Steve Cash, who moderates the Legislative Update sessions for Farm Bureau, explained that while electric car owners would pay $150 per year, owners of gasoline-powered vehicles would pay an average of $400 each at the pump, according to a recent study.
Electric car owners in the audience said the extra registration cost doesn't seem fair since the state is trying to encourage electric car use to help curb pollution and save energy.
"It has nothing to do with pollution," Bray said, "it's about the roads."
The vehicles responsible for causing more damage to Indiana roads than passenger cars -- semis, etc. -- are paying more through registration, "but not enough," Bray suggested.
"I don't want to increase the cost of doing business in Indiana," the state senator said, "but they need to pay their fair share.
"If everyone is going to pay an additional 10 cents a gallon, we need to at least recoup money from the people or companies doing the most damage to our roads," Bray added.
Indiana's gasoline tax has been 18 cents per gallon since 2003. The purchasing power of those funds has decreased over that time by $600,000, Bray said, which further compounds the gap between what the tax brings in and the money need to fix and maintain Hoosier roadways.
That gap is now $1 billion, Bray said.
"The forecasters say this (the gas tax increase) will do a pretty good job of bridging that gap," Bray said.
Meanwhile, the toll road portion of the bill likely won't be a factor this session. A study plan for converting interstates into toll roads is scheduled to be presented next fall, it was noted.
One thing the study is expected to disclose is how many out-of-state cars are traveling interstates through Indiana.
"Interstate 70 is under construction all the time," Bray said, suggesting it really needs to be three lanes each direction from Terre Haute to Richmond.
"States all around us have three lanes (of I-70)," he said, adding that "first, however, we have to take care of what we have."
The third and final Legislative Update program of the 2017 session is scheduled for Saturday, March 18 beginning at 8 a.m.