INDIANAPOLIS – The final debate among the candidates vying to become Indiana's next governor took place Thursday night. Republican candidate Mike Braun, Democratic candidate Jennifer McCormick, and Libertarian Candidate Donald Rainwater participated in the third and final debate.
The debate took place at the WFYI studios and was hosted by the Indiana Debate Commission. There was no studio audience and the candidates answered questions submitted by Hoosiers from across the state.
One hot-button issue that each candidate has been campaigning on is property taxes. Many Hoosiers have seen their property taxes increase as property values have gone up. Each candidate has released their own property tax plan, which vary drastically.
Democratic candidate Jennifer McCormick wants to expand property tax deductions for senior citizens and disabled veterans. She's also proposing an increase to the homeowner property tax deduction and renters' tax deduction, all while capping the increase in property tax bills by 10 percent. She says her plan would not take any money from local branches of government. You can read more about her property tax proposal here.
"Having been a local superintendent, I understand the power of police, I'm a fifth generation farm family we have to protect that local level so we have parks and fire and police and schools,” McCormick said. “So, my opponent’s plan went after that and a 25 percent increase for farmers and that's just not going to work for Hoosiers."
Sitting U.S. Senator and Republican candidate for governor Mike Braun's plan would cap the increase in property tax bills at two percent for seniors and low-income Hoosiers and families with kids under 18. It would cap property tax bills at three percent for everyone else. Braun's plan would require a referendum if local governments wanted to exceed that cap. You can read more about his plan here.
"It resets it to where it was pre-COVID,” Braun said. “For the jurisdictions that took their rates down to reflect the increase in assessed value. For the ones that didn't it's going to be transparent. You won’t be able to hide behind an opaque system."
Libertarian candidate Donald Rainwater also has a plan that would cap all property taxes at one percent, sunsetting after seven years. He says local governments would be able to manage because there are other sources of funding. You can read his property tax plan here.
"You need to be able to live in your home and have the security to know that your property taxes will never increase and someday they will end so you don't have the government standing over you threatening to take your property if you fall behind,” Rainwater said.
Several topics like education, marijuana legalization, and gun control were brought up. The candidates reiterated the stances on those issues laid out in their platforms.
One big difference in this final debate compared to others is that both Rainwater and McCormick seemed to go after Mike Braun on his record, as well as the stance of his running mate, lieutenant governor candidate Micah Beckwith. You can watch the debate in its entirety by clickinghere.
Election day is on Tuesday, November 5th. You can find information about early voting and your polling place here.
