Governor Pence Sends Letter to Mayors Regarding Business Personal Property Tax Reform

Press Release

Governor Mike Pence today sent a letter to mayors across Indiana on improving the economic wellbeing of Hoosiers by eliminating the business personal property tax. The letter continues the Governor's efforts to speak with Indiana's mayors about his ideas and create an open dialogue on how those ideas impact their communities.

The Governor also reiterated his commitment to ensuring the phase out of the tax does not unduly burden local governments and that he welcomes their ideas and insights on the matter.

"When I proposed phasing out the business personal property tax, I said there were many ways in which this could be accomplished, and I have reiterated that I'm talking about tax reform, not tax cuts," he writes. "First, as we work toward phasing out the business personal property tax, I have committed to doing so in a way that does not unduly burden local governments' ability to provide for the needs of their citizens. Second, I have advocated for local control and decision-making for adoption of any permanent phase out of the business personal property tax. Third, I have said that we cannot phase out this tax in a way shifts the tax burden to hard-working Hoosiers.

"We have many different needs and varying advantages and disadvantages in the communities of our Hoosier state. For some, removing the business personal property tax might be not be a priority. For others, removing the business personal property tax might be the breath of change that gives new life to economic development efforts…I welcome your thoughts and suggestions as to how we can accomplish this need."

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