Issue Position: Lower Taxes

Issue Position

Ryan has proposed a comprehensive 10-year road and infrastructure plan to deal with the long term challenges of maintaining our transportation and safety needs across the state. As former President of the Bartholomew County Council, Ryan understands the challenges our city and county face keeping up with repairs and new construction of roads, bridges, and infrastructure.

Last January, the unpopular gas tax bill was passed, and others proposed such as HB1131, raising price of gas another 10 cents-- a 55% increase from the previous fuel tax at the pump. The tax increase also includes automatic tax increases and higher license plate fees. Raising the gas tax was not a conservative approach to our current challenges. Ryan believes that low gas prices are good for the people of Indiana and the 59th district and not a good time for the state to take advantage and increase taxes. In addition, establishment politicians, after promising to spend gas tax revenue only for roads and infrastructure, are now using this tax for other purposes as well.

There are clear advantages to lowering fuel and oil prices including lower construction expenses, lower operating costs and better prices on materials such as asphalt. When gas prices are lower, people can save more and it helps small businesses with their bottom line. A quickly growing economy will help to balance current spending with new incoming revenue without requiring additional large increases in taxes. In fact, former Governor Mike Pence and the Indiana Senate were previously in agreement that raising taxes at the pump is not what was needed for hard-working Hoosiers.

Indiana had been fiscally responsible in building reserves in excess of $2 billion during previous difficult years of a stagnant national economy. Ryan believes an appropriate surplus portion along with other excess funds should be returned to our local communities to kick-start repairs and infrastructure improvements throughout Bartholomew County, the City of Columbus, and other localities across the State. This will create jobs and put our tax money to work instead of sitting in a bank account in Indianapolis getting little or no interest while your taxes go up.

Middle and lower income residents, seniors, and Hoosiers on fixed incomes were hit the hardest by the establishment's gas tax and new fees. We need stronger conservative leadership to represent our District on these issues. Ryan will fight for hard-working Hoosiers to get the most from your tax dollars including those spent on roads and infrastructure and will look for new ways to drive down costs across the budget and cut out fat without raising taxes.

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