Tax Plan Would Hurt Hoosier Families

I

November 27, 2017 - Veronica Carter, Public News Service (IN)

INDIANAPOLIS – A coalition representing 25 different groups in Indiana is speaking out against a congressional tax plan that could be approved this week. 

The Indiana Coalition for Human Services says the plan being considered by the U.S. Senate would likely force deep cuts to programs that expand economic opportunity and provide no benefit to most low-income Hoosiers. 

Andrew Bradley, A senior policy analyst with Indiana Institute for Working Families, says the plan is being sold as tax relief for Indiana's middle class and working families, but it will actually result in an increase for a majority of Hoosiers while giving breaks to out of state millionaires, corporations and foreign investors. 

"The wealthiest 1 percent in Indiana get about $5,000 in cuts while the bottom 60 percent see somewhere around a $140 tax hike,” he points out. “And part of that calculation is that this plan would take away health coverage for nearly a quarter million Hoosiers."

Bradley says the combined tax and budget plan has some immediate relief but, long term, it will be really devastating to Hoosiers. 

He says Medicaid would be chopped nearly in half – by 47 percent. Job training programs would be reduced by a third, 80,000 fewer children would receive child care assistance and there would be a $140 billion cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by 2027.

Senate Republicans have added a provision that would take health coverage from 13 million people, including 245,000 Hoosiers to pay for permanent corporate tax cuts. 

Bradley says the economic recovery in Indiana has been very uneven, and lawmakers should be held accountable.

He urges Hoosiers to tell lawmakers not to approve a tax plan that hurts working families.

"By voting for this plan, Indiana senators would be voting to give $16.6 million to other millionaires, and corporations and wealthy foreign investors,” he stresses. 

The Trump and congressional budget plans would cut Pell Grants and student loans, and would deny the Child Tax Credit to a million children in immigrant families.