The Vincennes City Council passed a resolution opposing Indiana Senate Bill 1, which which calls for more property tax cuts and caps in the state of Indiana. The city’s resolution urges lawmakers to reconsider the financial impact on local governments before advancing the legislation.

Mayor Joe Yochum supported the resolution, warning that the bill could strip over $2 million from the city’s budget, leading to personnel cuts in essential services. He emphasized the need for alternative funding sources, saying the resolution is a way to tell lawmakers not to move forward without a plan to replace lost revenue.

“This is basically saying we don’t support Senate Bill 1 in this form, that they need to come up with a plan that helps us replace those dollars lost,” Yochum said. “Since past tax caps were put in place, the city has cut so many employees. The street department used to have 38. They now do that job with 17.”

Opponents of the resolution, including Council President Brian Grove, argued that it is premature to reject the bill, as it is still being debated and subject to amendments at the state level.

“So what you’re voting on is SB1, and that in its current form, if you don’t know if you’re familiar with this SB1, I don’t think you send the message to the state House that you don’t want them working on it. I think it’s the wrong message,” Grove said.

He also noted that the bill has changed significantly since it was introduced and is still being revised.

“This bill is not in any shape or form the way it was when it was presented in its original form,” Grove said. “I would totally agree that it would be devastating the way it came out of committee and through the Senate. It’s just a shell of what it was. So it is way too early for us to be telling them, don’t work on this, don’t work on cutting our taxes.”

The resolution passed with Council Members Regina Blinn, Ed Gornall, Marc McNeece, and Richard Ashby voting in favor. Grove, Ryan Lough, and John Stangle voted against it.