INDIANAPOLIS — Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington) issued the following statement after Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) passed out of the senate and to the House of Representatives:

“Every Hoosier deserves real tax relief — not a short-sighted plan that underfunds our communities. Homeowners, renters, seniors and working families are all feeling the squeeze. But SB 1 doesn’t deliver the relief Hoosiers need — it shifts the burden instead of solving the problem.

This bill moves forward at the expense of our schools, first responders and local communities. It caps property tax growth without replacing lost revenue, meaning fewer resources for public schools, fire departments, law enforcement and emergency services — the very institutions that keep our neighborhoods safe and our children learning. Local governments, already operating on tight budgets, will face even greater challenges in meeting basic needs.

Moreover, SB 1 overlooks the nearly 30% of Indiana households who are renters. These Hoosiers often bear the brunt of property tax increases through rising rents, yet this legislation offers them no relief. It’s unacceptable to implement a policy that defunds critical services while ignoring nearly a third of our state’s residents.

This is not the way to address Indiana’s real financial challenges. Instead of cutting off revenue to critical community services, we should be looking at sustainable ways to fully fund our schools, strengthen public safety and ensure our health care sector is properly supported.

There is a way to do this right. Senate Democrats fought for a plan that would provide meaningful tax relief for everyone — without forcing local governments to make devastating cuts. We proposed greater tax relief, for homeowners and renters, that would help Hoosiers stay in their homes without gutting our schools and public safety. We proposed increasing the cigarette tax legalizing and taxing Marijuana to provide real tax relief. Those solutions were rejected.

But make no mistake — I will not stop fighting for you. For the homeowner struggling to keep up. For the renter watching costs skyrocket. For the senior on a fixed income. For the teacher, the firefighter, the small-business owner — all of whom will feel the impact of a plan that wasn’t fully thought through.

Hoosiers shouldn’t have to choose between keeping their homes and keeping their communities strong. We can and must do both. As SB 1 moves forward, I will continue standing up for a solution that truly delivers for all Hoosiers — because you deserve better than this.”

SB 1 now moves to the House for consideration. Yoder and the Indiana Senate Democratic Caucus remain committed to advocating for a balanced, responsible approach to property tax relief.