New amendments will give general assembly new powers

When voters cast their ballots last week, it wasn't just for president and governor.\nThey also had to decide on three constitutional amendments that affect property tax; the transfer of power when governor and lieutenant governor are vacant; and the terms of county officials. All three constitutional amendments passed.\nThe process to amend Indiana's 153-year-old Constitution began with a Senate bill, sponsored by members of both the Indiana House and Senate.\nSeventy-one percent of voters voted for the first amendment, according to Associate Press reports. It allows Indiana's government to make certain properties tax exempt, including a homeowner's primary residence, personal property and property used to produce income and inventory.\nThe Indiana General Assembly will now be allowed to enact legislative changes to carry out property tax exemptions, according to the Indiana secretary of state's Web site. Those who will likely benefit from the action are homeowners and small business. However, farmers and those owning large parcels of land such as landlords may be harmed by this decision.\nFarm land and privately owned wooded lots currently make up 80 percent of the land in Indiana. Members of Indiana's Farm Bureau are likely to own most of this land, Mike Baise, Agriculture Development and Natural Resources director, said. The Bureau's mission is to implement policies developed by members and provide programs that will improve the financial well-being and quality of life for farmers and ranchers. \nThe Farm Bureau opposes this amendment because farmers would likely see their property taxes increase, Baise said.\nMore voters live in cities, Baise said, so when there is pressure on political figures for property tax relief on homes, the burden shifts to others. Farmers and business owners, not homeowners, wind up picking up the slack. \n"This is a concern for our members," he said.\nThe second amendment was passed by 86 percent of the voters. It will now allow the Indiana General Assembly to create a uniform beginning date for the term of these county offices: clerk of the circuit court, auditor, recorder, treasurer, sheriff, coroner and surveyor.\nThe last amendment sets up a chain of command within the state government in case of an emergency. This amendment was passed by 87 percent of the voters and was written out of concerns stemming from the 2001 World Trade Center attacks. \nThe current constitution only provides for the replacement of a governor who has died, resigned or been removed from duty. The new amendment states if the governor and lieutenant governor are unable to perform their duties, the General Assembly is required to meet within 48 hours to elect a new governor of the same political party as the previous. Under the amendment, the speaker of the Indiana House and the Senate president will serve in the governor's office until the General Assembly can meet and select a new governor.\n-- Contact staff writer Jill Brooks at jimbrook@indiana.edu.