Keeping costs low for Hoosiers: Gov. Mike Braun discusses affordability
INDIANA (WFIE) - It’s been a day since Indiana Governor Mike Braun once again extended the suspension of the state’s gas tax.
He says it’s part of broader actions to address affordability.
14 News met with the governor today to discuss what he’s doing to bring down costs for Hoosiers, and how they’ll cover the cost of road repairs with the loss of gas tax revenue.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun says when he made the jump from senator to governor, his goal was to run the state like a business.
“If we run the state, well it’s going to enable us to do a lot of things other states would like to do, but we intend to do it and base it on a solid financial footing,” Governor Braun says.
Over his year and a half in office, he says his administration found success with that approach.
He says they’ve cut about a billion dollars in state expenses, while generating an extra billion in revenue.
While suspending the gas tax means less money to spend on the state’s infrastructure, he says the extra money fills the gap.
“Surpluses in our general revenue budget, something might be able to be done from there to help dedicated funding on roads and bridges, which comes now solely from fuel taxes,” Governor Braun says.
Gas is just one part of it though. The governor says healthcare, owning a home, property taxes, and utility bills have also been squeezing Hoosiers.
He says work is underway to address each of them. This includes the new composition of the IURC, which recently denied a rate increase request from NIPSCO in the northern part of the state.
The governor says utility costs have been “especially egregious” both there and here in southern Indiana.
The controversial Senate Bill 1 is another attempt to help with costs by lowering property taxes. While local leaders have spoken out against it and the effect it could have on local governments, he says the state’s success depends on collaboration, so they’re keeping an open mind.
“You’ve got to have healthy local governments, healthy school districts,” Governor Braun says. We’re going to be super concerned about it, even to where we tweak Senate Bill 1, SEA 1, where we maybe need to modify it to look at stuff that may not have hit the mark.”
While there’s more work to be done, he says he’s been happy with the impact of the suspended gas tax, and he says he’s not alone.
“Normally, this job feels like you’re running the complaint department. In this case, there’s been overwhelming pleasure from it,” Governor Braun says. “Even the other side of the aisle doesn’t have much to say that doesn’t make sense.”
The governor says when it comes to affordability, bringing down costs is their main focus right now, but it’s only half the battle. He says raising wages for Hoosiers is their ‘north star,’ and something they’re working to address over the coming years.
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