Submitted
On Thursday, the state tax revenue forecast was released showing an increase in Indiana’s revenue projections by $2.4 billion over the next three years. This provides the General Assembly with an opportunity to fund core budget items that were left out of the existing legislation.
Senator Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington) gave the following comments in response to the new tax revenue forecast:
“I proposed multiple amendments to our state budget seeking to improve our state’s quality of education and to fund crucial public programs. With $2 billion in new money, there are pragmatic, attainable line items that we can address,” said Sen. Yoder. “I hope Senate leadership does their part.”
“With this new revenue forecast, we can fully fund traditional K-12 public schools, fully fund public television, raise teacher pay and restore funding for our Arts Commission. After the governor’s own teacher pay commission suggested that making teacher salaries in Indiana competitive with the rest of the region would require a $600 million investment, it’s exciting to see that we can make that investment in our teachers and our students.
“Indiana ranks dead last in the country in teacher pay raises since 2002 and we pay our teachers lower salaries than Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky. We have a tremendous opportunity to meet the recommendations of Governor Holcomb’s commission, it’s long overdue and it’s time Republican lawmakers stop kicking the can down the road.”