IN House passes Budget

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - The Indiana legislature making the first moves in passing the state's budget for the next two years. The bill reverses a trend in Indianapolis for taking funding from public education.
    
Every odd numbered year, the General Assembly plans the budget for the next two years. This year's House version of the bill certainly has some surprises for both parties.
    
200 million dollars will be added to public education. This is big because for the first time since the recession set in, Hoosier lawmakers are putting money back into schools.
    
At the same time they are adding nearly 500 million dollars for roads and transportation. Fixing Hoosier highways is now a major priority for the lawmakers.
  
But there is a glaring gap. Throughout his campaign for governor, Mike Pence touted a 10 percent income tax cut for all workers. The bill coming out of the house does not have that. Lawmakers said if they could find the funds to make it possible they would do so.

"I agree that if there was room to cut taxes we should do that,” Alan Morrison one House Republican said. “The government doesn't need to be taking more and more of your money setting it aside and not using it.”

“In the same breath, we do have tax cuts in this budget. There’s about 270 million dollars worth of tax cuts in this budget.”
    
Morrison also told News 10 that this projected budget brings in more revenue than spending. That means that Indiana could be set up for another surplus.

The bill now moves onto the Senate for further consideration.