OP-ED: No, you're not hallucinating – AES wants to raise your rates again.

AES Indiana just requested to raise their rates on consumers. Again. 

Last year, they raised rates for consumers by an average of $9.36 per month, although their original ask was $17.50. This year, they want an increase of 13.5%, but in reality is closer to 21% and will cost Hoosiers an extra $30 every month. If it feels like your utility bill is always growing, that’s because it is. 

To some, $30 a month, or $360 dollars a year, may not seem like a lot. But what if your electricity bill rose $360 every year? In five years, you would see your bill grow by $1,800. Asking the IURC to approve a rate increase shouldn’t become an annual tradition for utility companies across the state, including AES, and those additional monthly costs add up quickly. When coupled with inflation, high housing costs, increased grocery cost, higher medical bills and lagging growth in wages, this rate increase very well could be the straw that breaks the camel's back for residents in Marion County. And those who are living paycheck to paycheck, or on a fixed income, may be forced to sacrifice essentials like food or medication to cover that extra $30 month after month. 

In 2020, AES was approved to use $1.2 billion from ratepayers to upgrade their system. Ratepayers are still in the process of paying for that, as the plan built in seven years of consecutive increases on top of other requests they have made separately. By the time the 21% hike would go into effect, you would really see an increase of 27% because of a 6% increase already approved to cover projects such as the Pike County battery storage facility. 

It's honestly hard to keep track of how many times AES has raised their rates. Over the last decade, rates have increased by more than 34%. The pace at which prices are increasing is not sustainable for Hoosier families. Something eventually must give. In 2024, I filed an amendment to create a one-year moratorium on rate increases to help Hoosiers catch their breath. The Republican supermajority at the Statehouse struck this down.

Every time these rate hike requests are made, the justification has been a system or infrastructure improvement. However, even with the additional revenue, many pressing concerns about the services have gone unaddressed. After the increase in 2023 to “upgrade” systems, customers experienced issues such as charges on their account three times the normal size with no explanation, charges being withdrawn up to 10 times without immediate refund and completed payments being marked as missing. AES paused disconnections temporarily while they stabilized the billing system, but disconnections were recently resumed with many customers still facing billing issues. 

Are consumers just supposed to helplessly accept that they must pay more and more for utilities every single year? Part of AES' justification for this most recent request was that they need to cover the cost of doing business due to inflation and rising costs. We all live in this economy. Hoosiers are facing the consequences of inflation and rising costs too. But the average person can’t demand money from others to cover our expenses. And because utilities are regulated monopolies, ratepayers don’t have a choice of providers. Which means, we are left footing the bill at the whim of stockholders who don’t have a connection to our communities. 

If a $1.2 billion upgrade isn’t enough, and you have to ask for tens of millions of dollars every year and still not solve basic customer-service issues, how can any amount of money be enough? I was heartened to see Gov. Mike Braun express displeasure over this rate hike request. But ultimately, Gov. Braun and the last 20 years of Republican leadership are responsible for the high rates consumers find themselves paying today. If Gov. Braun wants to stand up for affordability, he should call on IURC to deny this outrageous request.  

GiaQuinta, House Democrats condemn slashing of Indiana state pre-K program

As Hoosier parents prepare their household budgets for the 2025-2026 school year, fewer working families will have On My Way Pre-K, Indiana's state preschool program, at their disposal to assist with the cost of sending their 3- and 4-year-olds to pre-K. Gov. Braun's administration announced at the beginning of June that it would slash On My Way Pre-K seats from over 6,000 to 2,500 for the upcoming school year.

Additionally, reimbursement subsidies for families enrolled in the program will be capped at $147.82 a week – for some counties, this will slash reimbursement rates in half or more. This means that child care providers will receive less money from the state for children enrolled in the program, disincentivizing provider participation and broad access, and low-income families will be responsible for the cost not paid for by the state.

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) and House Democrats are deeply concerned that the Braun administration and Statehouse Republicans chose to prioritize the expansion of Indiana's private school voucher program to millionaires and billionaires this session over maintaining the On My Way Pre-K program for low- to moderate-income families. GiaQuinta released the following statement reacting to the cuts:

"Working parents are already stretched thin. Now, they’re being told to do more with less – the theme of this administration. Cutting On My Way Pre-K means pulling the rug out from under hard-working families who were planning to use this program to make their household budget work.

"These cuts weren't inevitable. In the 2025 budget, Statehouse Republicans chose to prioritize making private school vouchers universal. While millionaires and billionaires are getting more tuition assistance for the private schools their children already attend, working families are being told that pre-K for their 3- and 4-year-olds is too expensive for the state. That’s not budgeting — that’s bad priorities. Amid a budget shortfall, Statehouse Republicans found the money to expand a program that they cared about. It just wasn't the program that benefits families struggling to get by.

"Hoosier families deserve more, plain and simple."

GiaQuinta comments on Braun IU trustee removals and appointments: ‘Promises made, promises broken’

Yesterday, June 2, Gov. Mike Braun removed three elected members of the Indiana University Board of Trustees by way of authority granted to him by the General Assembly in a last-minute, unvetted move to end alumni trustee elections at Indiana University. In their places, he appointed James Bopp, Jr., a prominent conservative attorney known for his work to overturn Roe v. Wade; Sage Steele, a conservative sports broadcaster; and Brian Eagle, an Indianapolis attorney. Braun previously indicated that he would not immediately take action to use this new unilateral authority of the governor over IU.  

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne), an IU graduate himself, released the following statement:

"I am incredibly disappointed in this decision by Gov. Braun to remove democratically elected IU trustees for a number of reasons.

"Not fulfilling a promise you previously made is par for the course with this administration – first property tax relief, now IU trustee appointments. Promises made, promises broken.

"IU leads the world in its rigor and research breakthroughs because its experts have been allowed to operate within the realm of academic freedom. It's not hard to imagine that our two new trustees who are well known for their successful work overturning a woman's right to choose and work in the conservative media circuit, respectively, will have an agenda to limit the research questions that researchers and professors are allowed to pose. This, combined with recent Statehouse Republican actions to threaten tenure and degree programs, will limit the number of world-class researchers willing to relocate to Indiana. Why take a risk on a university system with less academic freedom protections?

"Gov. Braun stated that this decision will 'help guide IU back in the right direction.' Republican governors of Indiana have been appointing the majority of the IU Board of Trustees for 20 years now. If the university has been headed in the wrong direction, the Indiana Republican Party objectively bears some responsibility for that.

"Finally, this decision doesn't just affect the university – it also hurts working Hoosiers. In particular, IU's strong life sciences programs have helped Indiana's life science, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries flourish. When we start making workforce pipeline decisions about politics instead of business, I worry that the companies that employ thousands of Hoosiers with good-paying jobs will suffer and ultimately disinvest in our state."

Pryor receives IUI O’Neill School Distinguished Alumni Award

On Monday, May 12, State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) was presented with the 2025 Indiana University Indianapolis O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs Distinguished Alumni Award. This is the highest honor bestowed by the school and honors those who have not only distinguished themselves in their fields but also set an example of what it means to live a life of service. Pryor earned a Master’s Degree in Public Affairs from the O’Neill School in 2005. 

“I am truly humbled to receive this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award from the IU Indianapolis O’Neill School. My time at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs laid the foundation for my career of speaking up for the voiceless and serving my community. While I had the value of service instilled in me growing up, my education and this institution gave me the skills and opportunities I needed to succeed in making a difference. 

“While it was incredibly meaningful to be honored at Monday’s ceremony, I am also glad I had the opportunity to speak to the graduating class of 2025. My call to action to all the graduates in that room was to SERVE: Support others who are in need; Engage with those who share your vision to help those less fortunate; Reward those who make sacrifices so that others can reach their potential; Value the contributions of those working alongside you; Encourage those who may feel lost or are tempted to give up.

“Today, I am as proud as ever to be an alumni of the O’Neill School. I look forward to seeing all the wonderful achievements of the class of 2025!”

Pryor was nominated for the award by her college friend Robbin Grimes Sally.

Pryor denounces Lt. Gov. Beckwith’s embrace for the 3/5 Compromise, Attack on Indianapolis Faith Leaders

Last week, Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith shared a video to his social media pages including incorrect information on the 3/5 Compromise following a member of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC) mentioning the political move on the Senate floor. Beckwith praised the 3/5 Compromise as a tool used by the North in the Civil War to eradicate slavery. 

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement in response:

“The 3/5 Compromise was used to legitimize slavery and justify the mistreatment of Black Americans, as is proven by the Fugitive Slave Clause, the 1857 Dred Scott U.S. Supreme Court decision that ruled Blacks were not citizens, selling slaves, raping slave women and so much more. It was not a ‘great move’ by the North to eradicate slavery. It was 78 years from the US Constitution signing to the Thirteenth Amendment ratification, which made slavery illegal. The best, humane and Christian option was to ban slavery…not embrace it as a 'great move.'

"Impacts from slavery are still felt today in our courts, neighborhoods, doctor’s offices, jobs and ballot boxes. For someone to celebrate it, especially someone in a position of power, is deeply troubling.

“To make matters worse, the Lt. Governor's response has been to attack 'inner city' clergy for speaking against his embrace of the constitutional provisions that treated Blacks as property.  This attack on inner city clergy, who are Democrats and Republican, is not grounded in scripture, and is disheartening.  These faith leaders are true public servants that advocate on behalf of the least of thee. From feeding the hungry, helping pay bills, providing childcare and helping resolve school challenges, clergy play a significant role in our communities and are responsible for helping to bring up the next generation of God-fearing leaders in Indiana.  

“I pray that Lt. Gov. Beckwith will move to focus on making life better for Hoosiers, not dividing us. While this topic brings with it the weight of hundreds of years of oppression and suffering for Black Americans, I ask for us all to do the difficult thing and pray for those that embrace racism, ignorance, greed and power. It must be difficult to live with that much hate in your heart.”

Hamilton calls on Braun to leave democratically elected IU officials in office

In the early hours of Friday, April 25, the Indiana General Assembly sent a final version of the state budget to the governor’s desk to be signed into law. Statehouse Republicans added a provision at the last minute to give the governor control over all trustee appointments for Indiana University. On the House Floor, State Rep. Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis) called on Governor Braun to leave the three democratically elected alumni trustees in office. 

“I am calling on Gov. Braun to respect the democratic process that has successfully served Indiana University for approximately 150 years,” Hamilton said. “Different perspectives are what keep our universities strong. 

“This move was done behind closed doors in the 11th hour to deliberately avoid the full democratic process, including input from the public. 

“Gov. Braun, I implore you not to follow the supermajority’s tendency to create a solution in search of a problem. Leave the democratically elected IU Trustees in the positions that they were entrusted with by thousands of IU alumni.” 

Pryor comments on defeat of language to criminalize homelessness

Last week, the House passed a bill that included a provision to effectively criminalize homelessness by imposing a fine of up to $500 and 60 days in jail for sleeping outside. While that language was taken out of that bill by the Senate, it was added to House Bill 1014 behind closed doors. In the 11th hour of the legislative session, the language was removed. In the early hours of Friday morning, the 2025 legislative session officially concluded without passing any law to criminalize homelessness.

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement:

“It is deeply relieving that the provision to criminalize homelessness did not pass this year. 

“I cannot understand how any person thinks it is fair and just to make it a crime to be homeless. People do not choose to endure the suffering of sleeping on the street, not knowing where their next meal will come from. Those who find themselves in such a difficult situation that they are without stable housing do not have $500 to spare. 

“There are many ways to help the unhoused population in our state. We must invest in more low-barrier homeless shelters and transitional housing, mental health and addiction services, and crisis intervention response teams. 

“I am thankful that my colleagues saw reason and decided not to move forward with this cruel policy. I truly hope this idea is not revisited in the future.” 

Hamilton celebrates additional road funding for Marion County

Today, the House of Representatives voted to send House Bill 1461 to the governor’s desk to sign or veto. First, this bill brings $50 million in road funding from the state to Marion County if the city agrees to match that amount. Second, this bill adjusts the road funding formula to more equally serve densely populated areas. The road funding model has historically harmed densely populated areas by allocating funding per road mile instead of by lane mile. This means a two-lane county road received the same amount per mile as a busy urban corridor (such as Binford Blvd or Keystone Blvd) that are 4-6 lanes across. Now, a large portion of the formula is based on lane miles.

State Rep. Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis), a member of the House Committee on Roads and Transportation, issued the following statement: 

“The passage of this bill brings long-overdue, transformative road funding parity to Indianapolis. Until now, under the state road funding model, Indianapolis has been a donor county to the rest of the state, receiving back only 11 cents for every dollar paid in. Moving forward, our capital city will have the resources we need for our roads to be properly maintained.

“As a member of the Roads and Transportation Committee, I’m proud to have played a role in moving this critical bill forward. I’m grateful to Mayor Hogsett’s team, City-County Council leadership, and colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their partnership. Chairman Pressel carried a heavy load with HB 1461, and he delivered. This is a major win for the nearly 970,000 Hoosiers who call Indianapolis home.” 

Pryor opposes bill to criminalize homelessness

Today, April 14, the Indiana House majority passed Senate Bill 197. The bill was amended in the House Committee on Judiciary to include language making it a Class C misdemeanor for a person to sleep or camp on public property of the state or a political subdivision. SB 197 criminalizes homelessness and traps individuals in a cycle of poverty by imposing a fine of up to $500 and 60 days in jail for sleeping outside. 

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement after speaking against the bill on the House floor:

“This bill will do nothing but perpetuate the cycle of incarceration, homelessness and poverty. Individuals who are in such dire straits that they have to suffer through the elements and sleep on the street do not have the means to pay $500. 

“Making homelessness a crime is not only illogical, it is simply cruel. There is no compassion in locking someone up for being in a situation they did not choose to be in. There is no compassion in this bill. 

“Our public safety officials are overwhelmed as is. Rounding up all of the homeless people in the community and throwing them in jail should not be a burden that we add to their plate. There are many better ways to address the growing population of unhoused individuals. Crisis intervention teams specially trained to help individuals with mental illness are far better equipped to address these situations. Why don’t we invest more money in this program?

“We need to invest in addressing the housing crisis by creating more affordable housing units instead of punishing those who find themselves without a roof over their heads. The cost to hold a person in jail is greater than what it would take to provide emergency or transitional shelter. I don’t understand why the solution is to be both costly and cruel. 

“We can do better than this. Our most vulnerable Hoosiers deserve better than this.” 

House Democrats stand against Senate Bill 1

Yesterday, following the passage of Senate Bill 1 out of the House of Representatives, Indiana House Democrats held a press conference to oppose the bill's tax hike provisions for Hoosiers.

SB 1 will potentially increase Hoosiers' local income taxes by $1.1 billion annually while cutting police, fire, EMS and public school services by $1.4 billion over three years. While the bill was pushed through with very little time to review the possible fiscal impact, it's clear that SB 1 will provide minimal property tax relief to Hoosiers. Republican leadership told Hoosiers it's time to "tighten our belts" while discussing this legislation, despite House Democrats' concerns that SB 1 will choke the life out of vital services provided by local governments.

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) delivered the following remarks at the press conference:

"Hoosiers, I'm not going to mince words today. Senate Bill 1 as passed by the House is a bad deal for all Hoosiers. This plan is a trick. It's a scam. It presumes Hoosiers can't understand that 2.9% of their income is a lot more money than a $300 property tax credit.

"Statehouse Republicans are telling you they are cutting property taxes so they can score political points, but let me tell you the truth. Republicans are backing out of the state's obligation to return your tax dollars to pay for services like schools, EMS, fire, and police. They're forcing our local public servants to take the heat for raising YOUR taxes when they have revenue loss from the property tax cuts. This isn't leadership or a solution or even good policy – this is utterly self-serving. The drastic change in Indiana's tax policy will force local communities to raise your taxes to keep schools open and ambulances running.  

"America is staring down a recession and stagflation thanks to President Trump’s tariffs. This mean the cost of clothes, food, and goods for working Hoosier families are going to wildly increase. Why are we forcing local governments to tax Hoosiers at a higher level? That's insane. House Democrats have fought all session to lower the cost of living for Hoosiers, and this Republican scam will do the exact opposite. Hoosiers need real relief, and SB 1 doesn't cut it.

"Not only are the costs of goods going to put additional pressure on Hoosiers, but the threats of losing their livelihoods is also under pressure with the new federal tariffs and this tax hike plan from Indiana Republicans.

"Working Hoosier families sent House Democrats to the General Assembly to cut costs for them and use the levers of government to improve their lives. This tax hike does the opposite."

Pryor votes against Republican tax hike on Hoosiers

Today, Indiana House Republicans passed Senate Bill 1 with an amendment that will potentially increase Hoosiers' local income taxes by $1.1 billion annually while cutting police, fire, EMS and public school services by $1.4 billion over three years. While the bill was pushed through with very little time to review the possible fiscal impact, it's clear that SB 1 will provide minimal property tax relief to Hoosiers. Republican leadership told Hoosiers it's time to "tighten our belts" while discussing this legislation, despite House Democrats' concerns that SB 1 will choke the life out of vital services provided by local governments.

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement after voting "no" on SB 1:

“People in my community want a true decrease in their taxes, not a decrease in property taxes that is cancelled out by increased income taxes. Marion County stands to lose $75 million under the current version of SB 1. In order for our community to fund essential public services like police, fire and EMS, as well as public schools for our kids, they will be forced to find the funding elsewhere. 

“This proposal is nothing but smoke and mirrors. Republicans in the legislature can run around touting that they have saved Hoosiers $300 on property taxes and then turn around to the local governments and force them to play the villain by raising local income taxes by $300 to keep functioning. They have managed to save Hoosier taxpayers very little while passing off responsibility to local governments. 

“I know this is not the best we can do for Hoosiers. This proposal is not a collaborative solution to help taxpayers around the state. We need to help our seniors stay in their homes while not cutting their access to emergency medical services. We need to help working parents keep a roof over their children’s head while not reducing the quality of their children’s education. 

“I am disappointed in the lack of action on the part of the legislature in helping Hoosier taxpayers get real relief.” 

The bill now heads back to the Senate for a concurrence vote. During House session on Wednesday, April 9, Gov. Mike Braun signaled that this was the Indiana GOP's final property tax plan, despite House Democrats still working to make the bill better on the House floor via amendments which were all voted down by the majority.

Pryor co-sponsored bill to reform eviction filing passes the House

Yesterday, April 8, the Indiana House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 142 which reforms state policy for filing evictions and sealing eviction records. This bill requires courts to order an expungement in cases that qualify and allows that action to be taken without a full hearing. In many cases, prior evictions stay on someone’s record and can be used by landlords to deny housing applications, even if the case has been resolved. Without this bill, the eviction expungement process can require large amounts of time and resources. 

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), co-sponsor of SB 142, issued the following statement: 

“Housing has become an increasing challenge for far too many Hoosiers. Eviction rates have skyrocketed, with some courts dealing with hundreds of eviction cases every day. Even for those who settle all debts, these evictions stay on your record and act as a barrier to securing housing in the future. 

“Requiring courts to seal eviction records in cases that have been resolved without the process of a full hearing will eliminate large amounts of time and resources for both the state and Hoosiers in this situation. Not only will this save the state money and help relieve chronically backlogged courts, but it will have significant impacts on the lives of struggling Hoosiers. I have heard stories from my constituents of apartment buildings giving families only a few hours to move out because of a facility issue in the dead of winter. If someone is waiting for their case to move through backlogged courts, having this mark on their record could be the difference between a new place to live and being on the streets. 

“There is no need to continuously penalize those who have satisfied their debt. This bill will free those who have settled their debts from having a scarlet letter on their housing applications. 

“Having a roof over your head is an essential human need. Access to reliable, safe and affordable shelter is something the state should strive to help all Hoosiers reach. I am so proud to have been a co-sponsor on this bill to remove this critical barrier to housing.”