Lawmakers plan for extra session

INDIANAPOLIS -- Gov. Joe Kernan and top lawmakers agreed Wednesday to set late November as a time to take up legislation addressing higher property tax bills and other fallout from the statewide reassessment.\nLawmakers are to meet in special session Monday to vote on Kernan's nomination of Kathy Davis as lieutenant governor, a choice expected to receive overwhelming approval in the Democrat-led House and Republican-ruled Senate.\nHouse Speaker Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, wanted lawmakers to extend the session next week to pass legislation he says is needed to reign in local government spending and lower homeowners' tax bills.\nHe has a plan that includes stricter limits on local levy increases and more tax breaks for homeowners, including low-income seniors and people with older homes. Bauer and many other lawmakers are eager to lower the future tax bills of those hit hardest by reassessment and local tax increases.\nBut Kernan said he talked with Bauer and Senate President Pro Tem Robert Garton, R-Columbus, on Wednesday and they agreed the General Assembly should wait until the annual organization day on Nov. 18 to formally act on legislation.\nBecause of constitutional requirements, it could take five or six days to pass any bills. A similar "mini-session" of sorts was held in November 1999 to enact a variety of bills, including tax breaks for banks and fixing a flaw in the state's drunk-driving law.\n"As I said earlier this month, we need more information to make decisions on these complex issues -- issues that require and deserve thoughtful debate and discussion," Kernan said.\nGarton said Monday he was reluctant to go along with Bauer's proposal for an extended session next week because it might be a rush job with little public input.\nHouse Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, initially supported the idea of an extended session next week, but he said he had not thought the issue through, and a mini-session in late November makes more sense.\n"It allows us to make a good decision for taxpayers instead of a hasty decision," Bosma said Wednesday.\nBauer agreed that next week "may be too soon" to reach consensus on proposals placing stricter limits on local property-tax increases.\nBut, he said, "I do believe that the Legislature needs to something as quickly as possible to address a crisis that has raged out of control"