Groups that still want to be in the ever-tightening draft of the next state budget — and those hoping not to get booted out — made their cases Thursday before a powerful Senate budget panel.
Trending during testimony were requests for millions of dollars to be retained for Indiana Main Street, a statewide program that helps fund revitalization projects for dozens of Hoosier downtown areas. Locals said it has helped bring critical economic boosts to their communities.
The program already faces significant federal cuts — and advocates cautioned that spending reductions in the current draft of Indiana’s budget could cause the initiative to fold altogether.
Multiple others separately called on lawmakers to consider increases to Indiana’s cigarette tax. Doing so, proponents said, would provide the state with additional revenue to fund additional line items in the budget and stopgap the decrease in dollars from the federal government.
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