By Suzanne Crouch - State Representative Feb 14, 2007

Here at the Indiana Statehouse, I have been spending a great deal of time studying legislation in committee meetings, debating bills on the House floor, and voting on the proposals.

Many of the bills we are debating have both negative and positive attributes, and we must sort through each one. While I am studying these issues, I encourage you to contact me and let me know how you feel. After all, these are issues that will affect you in the future and your voices should be heard.

One of the issues that directly affects many Hoosiers is the minimum wage. House Bill 1027 would require Indiana’s minimum wage to increase to $7.50 by September of 2008. The current wage of $5.15 per hour has been in place for nearly a decade. Congress is poised to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25 at any moment. Because of this, my House Republican colleagues and I voted in favor of House Bill 1027 Minority Committee Report that stated that the state minimum wage should be tied to the federal minimum wage. Our goal was to allow Indiana to follow any federal wage hikes without exceeding federally imposed limits.

If Indiana created its own minimum wage structure and raised the minimum wage above the federal level, it could potentially create problems for individual workers, as well as Hoosier businesses. Unfortunately, this measure was defeated by a party-line vote and will not be included in the minimum wage bill.

If House Bill 1027 Minority Committee Report had been adopted, it would have also eliminated the unfair Indiana inheritance tax imposed on the heirs of an estate. The inheritance tax is not a tax on wealth; it is a tax on people. The report would have phased out the inheritance tax, which would have encouraged working men and women to save money for their retirement and pass it on to their heirs.

Why tax them on something they have already been taxed on? Since the report was not adopted, their children will still have to pay taxes on the inheritance they receive. Hopefully, we will be able to revisit this issue in the future and eliminate this double tax.

Most of you have probably heard about the possibility of a statewide cigarette tax increase. Governor Daniels has proposed increasing the state cigarette tax by at least 25 cents. The money would be used to fund health insurance for low-income Hoosiers, provide immunizations for children, and fund anti-smoking campaigns. According to the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Indiana has the second highest ranking of adult smokers in America. Medical costs related to smoking in Indiana amount to more than $1 billion annually. I am very interested in hearing what you have to say about this proposal, so please contact me and let me know how you feel.

http://www.tristate-media.com/articles/2007/02/14/warricknews/editorial/02crouch.prt