In a debate that veered deeply into some wonky agricultural issues, Indiana's three lieutenant governor candidates couldn't resist a few polite political jabs during their first time sharing a stage Tuesday.
The format wasn't conducive for back-and-forth like a usual debate ― panelists asked candidates different questions one by one, with the opportunity to rebut only if called out by name ― but one issue rose to the forefront as cause for conversation: property taxes, which HoosierAgToday's Eric Pfeiffer, a panelist, said is the top issue the agriculture industry will take into the 2025 legislative session.
More:Indiana's governor candidates want property tax relief. Here's why change is tricky
The Purdue Extension Building at the Indiana State Fair was packed, with a large portion of attendees vocally supporting Republican Micah Beckwith, Democrat Terry Goodin or Libertarian Tonya Hudson. Host AgrIInstitute, a Danville-based nonprofit, has hosted six past lieutenant governor debates in previous election cycles and is typically the only organization that holds a debate.
The standing-room only crowd is normal for these debates, executive director Beth Archer said. But this year, at least two groups in northern and southern Indiana held watch parties with the YouTube livestream, she said.
This slate of lieutenant governor candidates has drawn an unusual level of intrigue.
Beckwith, an ultraconservative pastor from Noblesville who has never held elected office, won his nomination at the state GOP convention in June by a narrow margin over Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Braun's endorsed running mate.
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Jennifer McCormick's endorsement of former state Rep. Goodin initially caused a stir among some Democrats, since he used to count himself among the Democratic caucus' most conservative members.
Libertarian Hudson is the endorsed running mate of gubernatorial nominee Donald Rainwater, who as a candidate in 2020 captured a a record-high percentage of the votefor the Indiana Libertarian party in a three-way race for a statewide office.
Property taxes spur jabs
On property taxes, the panel of industry experts asked the candidates how they would help farmers impacted by rising property tax bills. Farmland tax bills are expected to rise 27% in 2024, according to the Indiana Farm Bureau.
Beckwith used the opportunity to tout Braun's property tax plan, released a few weeks ago, which calls for a 3% cap on property tax bill growth from year to year.
"What Mike Braun has done with casting vision, is he's giving the legislature cover, finally, to fix this issue," Beckwith said. "I've been an outspoken critic of the Republican Party for not addressing tough issues, and this is one of them."
During a response to a different question, Goodin criticized the Braun property tax plan as a "knee-jerk reaction" that shifts the tax burden elsewhere and threatens the revenue streams of local government services, including police services ― using this opportunity to accuse the Republicans of wanting to "defund the police."
"If you want to have good quality services, you have to pay for them," Goodin said. "You can’t cut your way out of a property tax crisis. You grow your way out of a property tax crisis."
Goodin said his ticket is still developing a specific plan to address rising property taxes, adding if the state wants to cut property taxes, it has to replace the revenue somehow. Beckwith later called attention to that lack of a plan.
Asked how the Rainwater-Hudson ticket, which wants to eliminate property taxes, would keep rural communities vibrant, Hudson said they support converting property taxes on land to a one-time 7% sales tax.
"You should not pay taxes on property you already own," she said.
Water resources another top issue
Water has become a contentious issue over the last couple of years, as the Indiana Economic Development Corporation developed a plan to pipe water to its new LEAP District in Boone County. Meanwhile the state lacks an actual water resource plan.
There's a delicate balance between conserving water resources and promoting economic development, the panelists said.
Beckwith called the IEDC a "shadow government" that has picked winners and losers in this debate without transparency and said local governments need to be involved in developing a plan for how water resources are dispersed.
Similarly, Goodin said all impacted parties must come to the table and he emphasized the need for guidance on disposing hazardous waste in the water system.
Hudson said she's interested in working with the legislature to develop policies that promote clean air and water and address chemical runoff.
A chance to flex ag knowledge
Candidates responded to a number of specialized topics, from the value of higher-ethanol blends of gasoline to renewable energy.
At one point, Goodin, a farmer himself, caught Beckwith, who comes from a line of dairy industry entrepreneurs, in a minor brain fart.
Beckwith talked about foreign companies buying up farmland in Indiana and offering families $1,500 an acre. But he forgot a zero: The average price of farmland is close to $15,000 an acre, according to the Purdue Farmland Value survey.
"I want to find some of that $1,500-acre ground and buy all of it," Goodin said, prompting laughter from the crowd.
Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter@kayla_dwyer17.
