DeLaney opposes 2025 state budget

In the early hours of April 25, Indiana Republicans passed the final version of House Bill 1001, sending a budget to the governor’s desk. State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) voted against the budget due to insufficient funding for K-12 public education, cuts to higher education as well as the expansion of the voucher program. 

“When it comes to this year’s Republican budget, I want to know how we got here and where we go from here. First, we got here through years of cutting away at our financial resources while expecting an ever-growing economy. Those are two bad ideas that underpin the current shortfall. 

“What we need to do now is to protect the most vital parts of our state and its people and correct our past mistakes. We are failing on both challenges. 

“We have done very little for K-12 public education in this budget while being disproportionately generous with private school vouchers. Additionally, this budget eliminates pre-k programs for tens of thousands of Hoosier children. 

“Amongst my deepest concerns is that we have undercut our 200-year-old system of state colleges and universities. Instead of creating a ‘Department of Government Efficiency,’ we have laid down a whole new bureaucratic framework and a set of rules to limit the success and independence of our higher education institutions. Our professors will have to beg to keep their posts and to teach the things they know and are committed to. What happened to academic freedom? What happened to free speech? 

“This body is on the verge of unraveling one of our state’s greatest economic assets, our universities, behind closed doors at the 11th hour. 

“One of the finest accomplishments of the last decade of the General Assembly was the strengthening of our local public health system. This budget cuts our support for that by more than two thirds.

“To top it off, we have done nothing to protect our budget from the impending doom of more cuts from the federal level. The economic uncertainty from Washington wrecked our revenue forecast to the tune of $2.4 billion. Whatever happens next could very well wreck the entire budget. Neglecting to plan for these risks is not just fiscally irresponsible, it is foolish.”

DeLaney calls for legislative action on IEDC obscure dealings

Earlier this month, Gov. Braun issued an executive order to put an end to the failure to make disclosures about conflicts of interest. This order requires “nonprofit” organizations designed to assist our state government to become current on required filings with the state and the IRS. The governor has now confirmed that he is in the process of arranging for an independent audit of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

Yesterday, Hannah News Service ran a special issue about the backstory of this executive order. This investigation found there has been a round of probes from the governor’s office into the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and its affiliates, including the Indiana Economic Development Foundation and Elevate Ventures. 

“I have been voicing my concerns that the IEDC is a runaway agency with a blank check for years now. It appears that our current governor shares those concerns. 

“I have called on the legislature multiple times to rein in this agency. In the wake of legislative inaction, I applaud the governor for expending the resources necessary to get the bottom of this entity’s obscure dealings. 

“The IEDC has frequently been allowed to hide behind the shield of ‘private sector competitive edge’ when asked to produce details about what they deem ‘confidential’ projects. IEDC representatives have been slow to disclose the amount of money that is being spent on the controversial LEAP project to members of the state budget committee.

“The bottom line seems to be that a few highly paid people are wearing multiple hats. That begs the question of whether any pockets are being padded with these taxpayer dollars. 

“As we prepare to wrap up the legislative session in the next few days, I urge the legislature to follow the lead of the executive branch. We must require the IEDC and affiliates to present the necessary records in front of the State Budget Committee. Hoosier taxpayers deserve to know what their money is being used for.”  

DeLaney comments on bleak revenue forecast

Today, April 16, the State Budget Committee met to discuss the state’s Medicaid, economic and revenue forecasts. 

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis), a non-voting member of the State Budget Committee, issued the following statement on the forecasts: 

“I had caught on to the not-so-subtle posturing from the majority that our budget was going to be ‘tight,’ but this is far beyond what I imagined,” DeLaney said. “We are not prepared to face a $2.4 billion hit over the next three years. We are essentially replacing growth with a flat line. 

“This bad news does not factor in the potential federal budget cuts that hold the power to throw our budget into complete disarray. The unusually high degree of uncertainty coming from Washington hinders our ability to prepare ourselves to serve our people. 

“We knew that we were going to have to tighten our belts, but that does not mean choking the life out of our basic services. Nobody wants a repeat of the Great Recession. Indiana chose to deal with that by undercutting public education and other public services. We must maintain the fundamental functions of government such as funding public schools, repairing roads and keeping communities strong and safe. That benefits every Hoosier. 

“We have one week to update our budget to account for this week’s economic report. With the unpredictability coming out of D.C., I fear that the budget we pass in the next week will not hold up through the summer. 

“The legislature must act responsibly and create a mechanism to address this economic instability. We cannot leave a matter this serious in the hands of the executive branch. My colleagues in the General Assembly need to step up to our role.

“Let’s be honest about this – unless we make some substantial moves in the final week of session, a lot of people are going to be hurt. Avoiding that now falls to the majority.”

DeLaney: Republicans are dodging the real issue

Today, April 9, the House discussed a series of amendments on the latest Republican property tax plan. According to a statement from Gov. Mike Braun minutes before the bill was called to the floor, the version we have now is the compromise between House Republicans, Senate Republicans and the governor. 

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement after offering several amendments on the floor: 

“The latest version of Senate Bill 1 puts pressure on local income taxes to fund this $300 temporary stopgap in an ongoing increase in property taxes. If people look at both the local property tax and their local income tax, at the end of the day this may be a wash. It is hard to know if anyone will really benefit from this maneuver. 

“This bill will restrict local governments, particularly in growing areas, in their ability to do what communities expect. Schools in growing areas and fire departments that can’t get enough equipment to suit the needs of the area will face significant hardship. 

“Because of the way this has been handled, the public’s understanding of what we are doing has been undercut. The constantly shifting sands have muddied the waters. 

“Today’s rabbit from the hat picks winners and losers. While playing this game, we refused to act about real needs, such as those of first-time homebuyers as well as renters. 

“Instead of giving parts of industry massive breaks, we should be looking to support young Hoosiers as they strive to achieve homeownership. Supporting young Hoosiers will not only boost our economy and grow our workforce but increase the property tax base itself.”

DeLaney concerned about latest Republican property tax proposal

Today, Monday, April 7, the House Committee on Ways and Means discussed the latest version of the Republican property tax plan. 

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement: 

“If the attempt was to thread the needle, we have stabbed ourselves in the thumb. Senate Bill 1 offers very little relief to individual taxpayers while leaving local governments in potential chaos. 

“The precise fiscal impact of this version of the bill has not been released. House Republicans in Ways and Means decided to move full steam ahead.

“This latest proposal seems to do little to address the damage these funding cuts may do to public schools, police departments, fire services, road funding and other local services. The constraints will be the greatest on growing communities. There will also be a shift in financial burden from manufacturing to retail operations. 

“This is one of the reasons that I have serious questions on what this bill will do to our ability to meet our current bond obligation and obtain bonds at reasonable rates in the future.”

DeLaney comments on two-step strategy to bring divisive ideology into our classrooms

Wednesday, April 2, the House Committee on Education discussed Senate Bill 442 regarding sex education in schools. The bill shifts certain responsibilities from school administrators to the elected school boards. This comes on the heels of the passage of SB 287 out of the House to make school board races partisan. 

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement: 

“For years, our school administrators have successfully provided information to parents about sex education. Now that the supermajority is hoping to impose partisan school board elections, they want to shift this responsibility to the school board members in both public school corporations and charter schools. This is a transparent two-step strategy to bring divisive ideology to our classrooms and our voting bodies.

“Each board will have to annually review all materials to be used in sex education and decide such issues as whether a male or female instructor will provide the education. The author of the bill, Sen. Byrne, stated the need for this provision is the growth of ‘gender confusion.’ He did not identify anyone who is so confused. 

“The author also testified that in his eight years on a school board, he had never had to review sex education materials in detail and that there had been no problem. As is a favorite pastime of the General Assembly, this bill will create a problem, not solve one.” 

DeLaney reacts to state replacing the firm responsible for the $1 billion ‘error’

Tuesday, April 1, the Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA) issued a preliminary notice that the state may well be contracting with Deloitte Consulting LLP, not with the Milliman actuarial firm, for projecting Medicaid expenses. This comes after the $1 billion "error" that led to the Medicaid shortfall announced in December of 2023. State officials have left the impression that the miscalculation was made by the present actuary, Milliman. 

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement in response: 

“While I am still coming to terms with the fact that the public may never know what exactly happened to allow this egregious error, this is a good first step in correcting course. Someone may be held accountable at last. 

“If $1 billion was miscalculated in a private sector firm, heads would roll. If the story is that the actuary messed up, the only responsible reaction seems to be to fire the actuary.

“I passed an amendment last session to require FSSA to report on exactly what happened to lead to this shortfall and what they would do to ensure it wouldn’t happen again. The report that was given to the General Assembly gave no answer to either question. 

“If the state won’t give answers, at least they gave action. I applaud this step to prevent forecasts that taxpayers and legislators rely on from being erroneous in the future.”  

DeLaney comments on Beckwith protesting 20 years of Republican rule

Today, March 17, Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith held a Property Tax Rally at the Statehouse to protest the current state of property taxes. 

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement congratulating the lieutenant governor on taking a stand against 20 years of Republican property tax policy:

“It is refreshing to see our lieutenant governor stand up in protest against two decades of Republican property tax policy. Apparently, the current administration has woken up and decided to address a problem created by their own party. 

“I am glad that Gov. Braun has changed his mind from his time on the House Ways and Means Committee. While there, he took no action to address rising property taxes. House Democrats have been warning that this crisis was brewing for years. But as the saying goes, better late than never. 

“Today’s event was advertised as a rally to persuade the legislature to return to Gov. Braun’s original property tax proposal. If my colleagues across the aisle are going to insist on such public infighting, I am more than happy to hold their coats. What a way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

“Our complex property tax system has finally become a topic of focus for both parties. What the Republicans have come up with to solve the problem they created manages to provide very little real relief for homeowners while severely damaging local government. 

“I agree with our lieutenant governor that Hoosiers need their government to come together to alleviate the financial strain of increasing property taxes. Let's go back to the drawing board and find a solution that will do that.

“At the rally, I saw many signs reading ‘property tax is theft.’ If so, who has been the thief for the last 20 years?”

DeLaney comments on property tax proposal: ‘This is a lose-lose’

Today, March 5, the House Committee on Ways and Means is hearing testimony on Senate Bill 1, the Senate majority’s plan for property taxes.  

State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement as the committee began its fourth hour of testimony: 

“Senate Bill 1 would create a reduction in property taxes of an average of $48.10 per homeowner in 2026, eventually reaching $133.58 per homeowner in 2028. This is an inadequate response to the dramatic increase in property taxes on homeowners. It does not address the reduced percentage of property taxes coming from apartment owners and businesses. It seems that the Governor shares this concern as well. 

“At the same time, this bill will reduce funding for schools, police departments and fire departments across the state. Should this proposal go through, it will force local governments to either raise local income taxes or limit vital services. 

“Instead of a 'sweet spot,' this proposal as it stands is a lose-lose. This bill will not reduce property taxes enough to really help homeowners, but it will reduce the ability of localities to take care of the communities they serve. We need better solutions like cutting back the number of taxing units which stands at 2,384 as of today.”

DeLaney keeps his word, opposes funding increase for Secretary of State

Today, Feb. 19, State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) offered an amendment to the state budget that would revert the funding for the Secretary of State’s office to what was allotted in 2023. 

This comes after a tense exchange between DeLaney and Secretary Diego Morales in the House Ways and Means Committee on Jan. 15 about his employment of a relative, awarding of ‘spot’ bonuses and awarding no-bid contracts to potential campaign donors. The video of the exchange has over 2.1 million views across social media platforms. The amendment failed on party lines by a vote of 26-68. 

“In January, I demanded answers from Secretary of State Diego Morales about the financial shenanigans in his office,” DeLaney said. “ I was met with deafening silence. He refused to admit that he hired his brother-in-law for a newly created position and paid him over $100,000. He refused to admit that he offered no-bid contracts to companies that became major campaign contributors. He refused to explain his spot bonus program. 

“On that day in January, I promised to vote against sending any additional funding to the office of the Secretary of State. 

“Hoosier taxpayers deserve to know that their dollars are being used responsibly. This man cannot be trusted with state money. I cannot in good conscience vote for any measure that gives another cent to Secretary Morales.

“With the push from my colleagues across the aisle to ‘drain the swamp’ and reduce bureaucratic waste and corruption, I am surprised at the willingness to give our Secretary of State additional funding in this already-tight budget.”  

DeLaney offers amendment to support first-time homebuyers

Today, Feb. 19, State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) offered an amendment to the state budget that would require the state treasurer to establish a first-time homebuyer loan program. The amendment was defeated by a vote of 29-67. 

DeLaney released the following statement following the defeat of his amendment on the House floor: 

“I am troubled by the fact that we have made it halfway through session without addressing the barrier our young people face to homeownership. The average age of a first-time homebuyer in this nation is reported to be 38. That is unacceptable. 

“Nobody loses from investing in young people. By offering reduced-interest loans for first-time homebuyers, we would make our state more attractive for young families. In turn, this will boost our workforce, economy and property tax base. 

“The bottom line is that the market is failing young families trying to settle down and build generational equity. If we cannot act to provide a backstop when the markets don’t work, then why are we here?” 

DeLaney offers amendment to protect Hoosiers from federal funding cuts

Today, Feb. 19, State Rep. Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis) offered an amendment to the state budget that would allow the state surplus to be used to restore funding for state programs if they are impacted by federal funding cuts. The amendment failed along party lines by a vote of 29-65. 

DeLaney released the following statement following the defeat of his amendment on the House floor: 

“This is the most serious thing I have offered all session. We are in danger of falling off a funding cliff if the federal government cuts cost us billions of dollars. If the President is successful in cutting the programs he wants to, our legislature will face tough decisions to save our citizens from losing access to critical services. 

“One of my proudest moments in the Statehouse was when former Gov. Mike Pence expanded health care access for thousands of Hoosiers when he created the Healthy Indiana Plan. Now, we stand to lose tens of millions of dollars if the federal government cuts Medicaid, and thousands of Hoosiers face losing access to health care. 

“Health research. Veterans resources. Road funding. Infrastructure improvement. Agriculture support. Education programs. Hoosiers relying on these essential services will be in serious trouble if our new federal leadership is successful in cutting off funding. 

“Even my colleagues across the aisle acknowledge that our budget is at risk of Washington leaving us out to dry. We must protect Hoosiers from this potential financial catastrophe.”