Steve Davisson (Taxpayer Friendly)

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Address: PO Box 341, Salem, IN 47167
Phone: (812) 883-2751
E-mail: H73@in.gov; daviss@blueriver.net
Website: http://www.stevedavisson.com/; http://www.in.gov/legislative/house_republicans/homepages/r73/

2012 General Assembly Voting Record
Voted NO on House Bill 1003, which is Taxpayer Friendly because (1) public access to government meetings and records is improved and (2) it is less likely that public agencies will intentionally violate the Public Access Laws.
Voted YES on House Bill 1005, which contains six Taxpayer Friendly local government Conflict Of Interest provisions and sixteen Taxpayer Friendly local government Nepotism provisions.
Voted YES on House Bill 1376, which is Taxpayer UNfriendly because (1) the automatic taxpayer refund excess reserves trigger is increased from 10% to 12.5% and (2) Hoosier working families will possibly receive an automatic taxpayer refund every even-numbered year instead of every year.

2011 General Assembly Voting Record
Voted YES on House Bill 1001, which includes among its 16 Taxpayer Friendly state budget provisions no tax increases and an operating surplus in both the 2012 and 2013 fiscal years with a satisfactory reserve balance on June 30, 2013.
Voted YES on House Bill 1002, which is Taxpayer Friendly because (1) charter schools have the potential to help increase the academic growth of lower socioeconomic students, (2) the number of Indiana nonprofit private colleges and universities authorized to create charter schools is limited, (3) the Indianapolis mayor is the only Indiana mayor who may authorize charter schools, (4) conversion from a public school to a charter school is sufficiently stringent, and (5) property taxes are NOT improperly used to support charter schools.
Voted YES on House Bill 1003, which uses state K-12 tuition support money to fund scholarships for nonpublic school students and is Taxpayer UNfriendly because (1) nonpublic private and parochial schools are not equally open to all children, (2) nonpublic school budgets are not approved by a directly elected public body, (3) evidence-based research does not support greater school choice as a means to achieve overall educational improvement, (4) it is very likely unconstitutional, and (5) state tuition support dollars would go to nonpublic schools that are not uniformly distributed throughout the state.
Voted NO on House Bill 1022, which would have implemented a number of Taxpayer Friendly local government provisions related to nepotism and officeholder conflict-of-interest.
Voted NO on House Bill 1074, which provides that school board members selected by election must be elected at November general elections and is Taxpayer Friendly because the greater voter turnout in general elections will make it more difficult for local vested interests to unduly influence school board elections.
Voted YES on House Bill 1583, which passed as part of House Bill 1004 and is Taxpayer Friendly because the 1% homeowner property tax cap and ten homeowner property tax deductions are allowed in the year of a property transfer if the property is determined to be exempt in the year following the transfer year.

Watchdog Indiana Candidate Questions - November 2, 2010, General Election
1. QUESTION: Do you support or oppose the November 2, 2010, Constitutional Amendment to (a) make the 1% - 2% - 3% property tax caps permanent and (b) protect homestead property tax deductions from legal challenge? ANSWER: I support the Constitutional Amendment to Cap property taxes.
2. QUESTION: How should the 2012-2013 state budget be balanced? Please address such issues as Medicaid spending, K-12 education, the possibility of a statewide income tax increase, and whether reserve funds should be replenished. ANSWER: The challenge will be great to provide a balanced budget for 2012-2013. I believe that like hard working Hoosier families, our state must sit down and make the hard decisions about revenue in and expenditures out. We have to make our education dollars work harder with evidence-based reforms. Presently, many schools waste money with excessive administration staff, money that could be put in classrooms. Medicaid faces an estimated 300,000 more eligible members under the new Healthcare Reform Act recently passed by Congress. This is huge burden to our state budget, but we can manage it. First, we can funnel more of the cigarette state excise tax that is being used in the Healthy Indiana Insurance Plan to the IN Medicaid program. Personal responsibility in the form of low premiums or affordable co-pays on services will offset some costs and discourage unnecessary visits. I would view increasing state income taxes as a last resort to balance the budget. We should enact policies that encourage economic growth and recovery. This is the only sustainable way to both balance our budget and replenish reserve funds over the next few years. Indiana leads our neighbors and we should do everything we can to make sure we remain a leader by allowing business growth to continue.
3. QUESTION: Do you pledge to maintain both the Homestead Standard Deduction and the Homestead Supplemental Deduction without ANY change to help homeowners control their property tax burden? ANSWER: I pledge to retain Homestead deductions without change.
4. QUESTION: Do you support changing the Indiana Code so approval of the General Assembly is required before I-69 becomes a toll road between I-64 and Martinsville? ANSWER: I support changing that Indiana Code to require a General Assembly majority approval to create a Toll Road project, regardless of who has negotiated it. A toll would affect all Hoosiers and their voices should be heard regarding anything as major as tolling Indiana transportation routes.
5. QUESTION: Do you wish to make some additional comments about your candidacy? ANSWER: I am running for State Representative because Indianapolis is sick, and has forgotten the needs of southern Indiana for too long. With radicalization of Washington DC, Hoosiers depend on state government to protect them from federal abuse. I have experience in business as a pharmacist. I have a great perspective on the current healthcare bills, and what they mean for you and me. I will serve as a statesman for southern Hoosiers, represent their views and concerns passionately, and respond to them quickly. Voters can count on me for dedication and service. If my constituents trust me with their health, they can trust me to cure what’s wrong with Indianapolis. I welcome comments or concerns about our state or the 73^rd District.

Watchdog Indiana Candidate Questions - May 4, 2010, Primary Election
1. QUESTION: Do you support or oppose the Constitutional Amendment on the November 2, 2010, statewide ballot? ANSWER: I support the Constitutional Amendment to Cap property taxes.
2. QUESTION: How should the 2012-2013 state budget be balanced? ANSWER: The challenge will be great to provide a balanced budget for 2012-2013. I believe that like hard working Hoosier families, our state must sit down and make the hard decisions about revenue in and expenditures out. We have to make our education dollars work harder with evidence-based reforms. Presently, many schools waste money with excessive administration staff, money that could be put in classrooms. Medicaid faces an estimated 300,000 more eligible members under the new Healthcare Reform Act recently passed by Congress. This is huge burden to our state budget, but we can manage it. First, we can funnel more of the cigarette state excise tax that is being used in the Healthy Indiana Insurance Plan to the IN Medicaid program. Personal responsibility in the form of low premiums or affordable co-pays on services will offset some costs and discourage unnecessary visits. I would view increasing state income taxes as a last resort to balance the budget. We should enact policies that encourage economic growth and recovery. This is the only sustainable way to both balance our budget and replenish reserve funds over the next few years. Indiana leads our neighbors and we should do everything we can to make sure we remain a leader by allowing business growth to continue.
3. QUESTION: Do you pledge to maintain both the Homestead Standard Deduction and the Homestead Supplemental Deduction without ANY change? ANSWER: I pledge to retain Homestead deductions without change.
4. QUESTION: Do you support changing the Indiana Code so approval of the General Assembly is required before I-69 becomes a toll road between I-64 and Martinsville? ANSWER: I support changing that Indiana Code to require a General Assembly majority approval to create a Toll Road project, regardless of who has negotiated it. A toll would affect all Hoosiers and their voices should be heard regarding anything as major as tolling Indiana transportation routes.
5. QUESTION: Do you wish to make some additional comments about your candidacy? ANSWER: I am running for State Representative because Indianapolis is sick, and has forgotten the needs of southern Indiana for too long. With radicalization of Washington DC, Hoosiers depend on state government to protect them from federal abuse. I have experience in business as a pharmacist. I have a great perspective on the current healthcare bills, and what they mean for you and me. I will serve as a statesman for southern Hoosiers, represent their views and concerns passionately, and respond to them quickly. Voters can count on me for dedication and service. If my constituents trust me with their health, they can trust me to cure what’s wrong with Indianapolis. I welcome comments or concerns about our state or the 73^rd District.

Watchdog Indiana Candidate Questions - November 4, 2008, General Election
1. QUESTION: Do you pledge to vote in 2009 for the exact same version of Senate Joint Resolution 1 that passed in 2008? ANSWER: Yes, I would vote for Senate Joint Resolution 1.
2. QUESTION: Do you wish to make some additional comments about your candidacy? ANSWER: I believe SJR 1 is a safety net for home owners across Indiana, but I am also inclined to work in the future for even greater tax breaks for homeowners, farmers and businesses. I believe it is important that we complement this legislation with spending caps and make sure that state and local governments live within their budgets just like every Hoosier family does.

This page was last updated on 03/13/12.