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Full Day Kindergarten, State Fair stage collapse victims could receive more money

 

It will be more difficult to trigger an automatic taxpayer refund under a bill passed by the General Assembly on its final day of session. 

With a strong fiscal year to date and revenue forecasts predicting a steady finish, Indiana appears likely headed for a taxpayer refund this year.  As a result, lawmakers made few changes affecting this year’s refund.

Instead of distributing the money based on income level, Hoosier taxpayers will each receive an equal amount.  Estimates say this year’s refund will be about $200 million towards taxpayers, which bill author Jeff Espich (R-Uniondale) says equates to about $50 per person.

“And I know a lot of folks say, ‘What’s 50 bucks to the average person?’ But my guess is that they’ll be happy to have that two hundred million dollars in their pocket.”

Going forward, lawmakers will make it a little harder to trigger a refund.  Under current law, the state’s revenue surplus must be 10% of the total budget.  After 2012, the level will be set at 12.5% of the budget.  The bill also includes extra money for full day kindergarten and State Fair stage collapse victims.

Brandon Smith is excited to be working for public radio in Indiana. He has previously worked in public radio as a reporter and anchor in mid-Missouri for KBIA Radio out of Columbia. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, Illinois as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, Missouri, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.