Freshman Senator Banks kicks ass on new legislation
Posted by Admin in Current Affairs, PoliticsIndiana State Senator Jim Banks filed several new pieces of legislation this week, all of which I applaud.
The first was to eliminate Indiana’s tax on inheritance income – also known as the death tax.
“This tax has long been opposed by family farmers and businessmen,” Banks said. “Many believe it’s a disincentive to local economic growth. Indiana is one of only a handful of states still imposing this tax.”
Banks filed his first bill – a measure which calls for a five-year phase out of the state’s inheritance income tax – with Secretary of the Senate Jennifer Mertz (picutred left) at the Statehouse.
Indiana imposes an inheritance tax on those who are residents of the state when they die. Banks said the tax is levied against the heir who receives the inheritance – excluding spouses and charitable organizations.
Only six states levy an inheritance tax, with the rate depending on the relationship of the heir to the deceased, according to Banks.
In addition, Banks also filed the following bills.
· Senate Bill 136: Legislative Mailings. Provides that, during the 90 day period before election day, a member of the general assembly may not send an official legislative communication for which the mailing cost is paid in whole or in part using appropriations made by the general assembly.
· Senate Bill 151: Precinct committeemen transparency. Requires the county chairman of a major political party to submit, not later than July 1 each year, to the county election board the name and address of the party’s precinct committeeman and vice committeeman for each precinct in the county. Requires the county chairman to update the information provided not later than seven days after a change occurs. Provides that the information is open for public inspection and copying in the same manner as other public records. Provides a civil penalty of $50 per day, with a maximum of $500, for each day the information is late. Provides that civil penalties collected are to be deposited in the campaign enforcement account.
· Senate Bill 149: Allen Superior court elections. Removes provision that prohibits a judge or candidate for judge of the Allen superior court from accepting more than $10,000 in contributions from all sources to pay expenses connected with the judge’s or candidate’s candidacy. Repeals penalty provision for violating this provision.
Banks represents Senate District 17, which includes Whitley, Wabash, Huntington, Allen, Grant and Kosciusko counties.
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Tags: Allen Superior Court, Death Tx, Inheritance Tax, Precinct Committeemen, Senator Jim Banks
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Advice from your High School English teacher: "Your headline could be taken to mean the opposite of what you intended to say."
A quick reading might give the impression that Mr. Banks is not introducing any new legislation.
Dear Teacher,
I changed it from "Freshman Senator Banks not wasting time proposing new legislation ." I hope you like it. The headline question was posed to an English Professor from a local university for their opinion, which you can read below.
How about "Freshman Senator Banks madly rides donkey over death tax"
I would think repealing the death tax, as it is called, will usher in a new era of concentrated wealth in Indiana and, perhaps, just perhaps, as it concentrates in greater amounts in fewer hands we might see construction of a Hoosier San Souci on the banks of the White River or something like Biltmore Midwest. I love the idea.
I really like SB 136, but I would propose two minor changes:
First, extend the blackout period to half the time between election cycles (i.e. if term of office is two years, then no taxpayer funded mailings for one year prior to election.)
The second change would be to also apply this rule to the same period of time AFTER the elections.
I think that would pretty much take care of the problem.