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Stadium Plan, Cigarette Tax Increase OK'd By Senate

Bill Likely Will End Up In Conference Committee

POSTED: 11:02 pm EDT April 7, 2005
UPDATED: 10:15 am EDT April 8, 2005

A bill that would help finance a new Indianapolis Colts stadium with tax increases in eight counties was passed by the Senate on Thursday.


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The bill also attempts to balance the state's budget by raising the cigarette tax 19 cents per pack and taking $75 million in riverboat casino taxes that currently are kept by the casino's counties.

The bill passed the Senate with a 27-22 vote. It probably will end up in a House and Senate conference committee where compromises could be reached.

Contained in the legislation is a plan to finance a new Colts stadium and an expansion of the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Seven counties surrounding Marion County would be asked to pass a 1 percent restaurant tax. A portion of that revenue would go to the two projects.

The plan also would allow Marion County, which contains Indianapolis, to boost its food and beverage tax from 1 percent to 2 percent. It also could raise Marion County taxes on hotels and auto rentals, and people attending Colts games would pay a $3 ticket tax while those attending other events at the new stadium would pay a $1 tax.

The Colts would contribute $100 million, and the bill includes various other funding sources.

Indianapolis leaders are seeking a new stadium and a convention center expansion, and they say the city risks losing both the Colts and valuable conventions if something isn't done this year.

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A bill at the Statehouse would raise Indiana's cigarette tax by 19 cents per pack to help balance the state's budget. That would put the tax at 74.5 cents per pack. Are you in favor of this proposal?
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Other tax plans in the bill attempt to prop up the state's budget. The 19 cents it would add to a pack of cigarettes would take the tax rate to 74.5 cents per pack.

Gov. Mitch Daniels said Thursday that he does not favor taking money from riverboat communities, even though supporters of the idea say it would go a long way toward balancing the state's budget.

"I have been flexible all along about the best route to get there, and I want to stay that way, but I also have candidly indicated when I thought a given means to that end wasn't a good idea," Daniels said. "This is one I would prefer not to see in a final budget."

The legislation would also impose local income taxes on counties to cover future growth in operating expenses for schools and local governments, unless a council representing counties, cities, towns and schools voted to rely on property tax increases instead.

If the councils opted for tax increases, they would no longer get state tax relief payments of 20 percent to pass on to property owners.


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