http://www.nwi.com/articles/2008/02/29/ ... 102bdd.txt
Immigration, tax cap spark debate
Both clear House by wide margins
BY PATRICK GUINANE
pguinane@nwitimes.com
317.637.9078
Date posted online: Friday, February 29, 2008
INDIANAPOLIS | The Indiana House spent several hours Thursday night debating and eventually approving a pair of sweeping measures critics called fatally flawed.
The first would punish employers that knowingly hire illegal immigrants, and the second proposal would link homeowner property taxes to household income. Both efforts would represent a dramatic shift in state policy, and each elicited charges of political pandering.
"I ask that you reject this legislation, which amounts to nothing more than a Band-Aid on what is a mortally wounded federal immigration policy," Rep. Mara Candelaria Reardon, D-Munster, said during debate. "We must not rush to appear to be doing something because this is an election year."
The immigration bill later cleared the House on 66-33 vote. It would establish a tiered punishment system that would allow the state to shut down companies caught knowingly hiring illegal immigrants three times within five years.
Rep. Eric Turner, R-Marion, called the legislation "illegal immigration light" and complained that Democrats refused to consider adding provisions that would deny public assistance to illegal immigrants. Others said the effort represents an attempt to address federal neglect.
"Congress has failed or refused to deal with this now for nearly a decade," said House Minority Leader Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis.
The immigration measure, Senate Bill 345, appears headed to a House-Senate conference committee for further negotiation.
The same fate awaits Senate Joint Resolution 1, which cleared the House 64-35 Thursday night. It started as a vehicle for implementing the constitutional tax caps proposed by Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels, but House Democrats rewrote the measure so that it would limit homeowner taxes to 1 percent of household income -- not 1 percent of a home's assessed value.
"It helps grandma and it helps grandpa and it helps low-income Hoosiers," Rep. Bill Crawford, D-Indianapolis, said of the change.
But Democrats have not been able to provide estimates of how the income-based cap would impact taxpayers or local government coffers.
Democrats did not alter proposed caps of 2 percent of assessed value for landlords and 3 percent for businesses. The income-based cap for homeowners is expected to perish in conference committee.
HOUSE VOTE Senate Bill 345 -- Sanction Indiana employers that knowingly hire illegal immigrants
Yes
Don Lehe. R-Brookston
Greg Simms, D-Valparaiso
Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso
Shelli VanDenburgh, D-Crown Point
No
Charlie Brown, D-Gary
Mara Candelaria Reardon, D-Munster
Chet Dobis, D-Merrillville
Earl Harris, D-East Chicago
Linda Lawson, D-Hammond
Vernon Smith, D-Gary
Dan Stevenson, D-Highland