Indiana Gov. Holcomb sets special session on tax refund plan

A special session of the Indiana Legislature will begin July 6 to take up the governor’s proposal for sending out $225 payments to all taxpayers from the state’s growing budget surplus.

Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a proclamation Wednesday setting the date for the special session to start. Holcomb said two weeks ago he would call a special session as he announced his plan for providing financial relief amid the worst national inflation in 40 years.

“This is the fastest, fairest and most efficient way to return taxpayers’ hard-earned money during a time of economic strain,” Holcomb said in a statement.

Republican legislative leaders have signaled support for Holcomb’s proposed tax refund and joined with him in rejecting calls from Democrats for suspending the state’s gasoline taxes, which will grow to 62 cents a gallon starting July 1.

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The state began distributing $125 payments this spring under the state’s automatic taxpayer refund law because of the growing surplus boosted by federal COVID-19 relief funding. The proposed additional $225 refund payments to each taxpayer would cost the state about $1 billion, according to the governor’s office.

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The Republican-dominated Legislature ended its regular session for this year in March.