January 29, 2008

Kevin Rader/Eyewitness News

Statehouse - As lawmakers near the halfway point of the legislative session, they are taking action on a number of hot-button issues.

Among topics for debate are property taxes, assessing, the definition of marriage and annexation. The State Senate passed Senate Joint Resolution 1 by a 41-7 vote, which is a constitutional amendment proposing a one percent circuit breaker for homeowners. However, that will not take effect until 2011 at the earliest, prompting the passing of Senate Bill 12. That bill is the statutory phase-in of 2% for homeowners in 2008, 1.5% in 2009 and 1% in 2010. It passed out 47-1.

There was no action on circuit breakers in the House, where Republicans are threatening to propose a definition of marriage amendment to that bill, so it appears the Speaker has made the decision not to call it and rely on the Senate’s bill that passed out early Tuesday. The Senate did pass the definition of marriage resolution, 39-9. House Republicans will now get a vote on that issue without using the property tax issue to do it.

The Senate also acted on assessors and annexation today. The amended bill on Senate Bill 16 eliminates township assessors in communities with less than 15,000 parcels passed by a 29-18 vote but there was some interesting debate.

“A constituency that is mad is bad, but when they are mad and organized that is dangerous,” said Senator Robert Meeks (R-LaGrange) “I want to tell you they are talking to one another now. Comparing bills and they are understanding that the question is not whether the assessor is qualified. That is not the question. The question is are they assessing my property right.”

http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=7790450