Rep. Burton’s Update for District 77

Upcoming Evansville Town Hall, legislative updates, and more!

Dear neighbor,

In this newsletter edition, I’d like to share highlights from the legislative session and details about some exciting events coming up.

As always, my door is open. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at h77@iga.in.gov. I am here to listen and serve.

Evansville Town Hall at The Dream Center

I’m hosting another community town hall, and I want to hear from you all.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 20, 2025 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. CST

WHERE: The Dream Center (1516 N. Main St., Evansville, IN 47711)

As I’ve held multiple town halls across our district, each one has been an opportunity for honest, productive conversations about the issues impacting our community.

These town halls aren’t just updates, they’re a chance for us to hear one another. Your questions, concerns and ideas help shape the work I do at the Statehouse. Whether you’ve joined us before or this would be your first time, I hope you’ll come be part of the conversation. Let’s keep working together to move Evansville forward.

Have questions you want addressed? Fill out the google form here.

Indiana Black Legislative Caucus Town in Evansville

The Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC) is hitting the road this summer, and we’re coming to Evansville.

WHEN: Saturday, June 28, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST

WHERE: Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library – Central Branch’s Browning Room (200 SE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Evansville, IN 47713)

This town hall is part of the IBLC’s statewide tour to hear directly from YOU. We’ll be discussing the outcomes of this past legislative session, the challenges ahead, and the policies we’re pushing to support opportunity, equity and progress for all Hoosiers. More importantly, we want to hear your questions, concerns and ideas.

This is your chance to make your voice heard, and we hope to see you there.

This legislative session was deeply disappointing for the average Hoosier family. In just four months, our state lost $800 million of our reserve dollars, implemented a universal voucher system that benefits a fraction of students, weakened our public education systems from pre-K through college and created new barriers for families relying on Medicaid — largely due to a billion-dollar miscalculation by bureaucrats and politicians. This cannot become our “new normal.”

Now more than ever, we need to focus on long-term solutions. That means reducing unsustainable Medicaid spending through thoughtful reform, strengthening our educational systems to prepare the next generation from cradle to career, addressing the housing crisis and empowering Hoosier families to thrive — not just survive.

In these hyper-politicized times, it’s easy to operate on the fringes. But doing so only leaves us more divided. Most Hoosiers aren’t concerned with political drama— they care about being able to pay their utility bills, finding a safe and affordable place to live, trusting their schools to meet their children’s needs and having a government that functions efficiently without overtaxing them.

Instead of continuing to expand universal vouchers that only impact about 10% of students, we should be investing in policies that support a broader range of Hoosier families. Expanding eligibility for the 21st Century Scholars program to families earning under $200,000 would give more students clear pathways to employment, enlistment or enrollment. Our current system lacks follow-through, often providing services that go underutilized and fail to deliver real outcomes. In Evansville, we celebrate high school graduations and the pursuit of a college degree, however, too many students never go on to graduate again. We must be more intentional, innovative and inclusive by engaging schools, families and communities to ensure students don’t just graduate from high school but go on to achieve their full potential.

Indiana is at a crossroads. In a time of economic uncertainty, we need bold, substantive action that reflects the real priorities of Hoosiers. It’s time for our policymaking to be intentional, inclusive and impactful — taking Indiana to higher heights and leaving no one behind.

House Enrolled Act 1001: The State Budget

Now, let’s talk about the state budget (HEA 1001) and the Republicans’ so-called “property tax relief” bill (SEA 1).

Together, these two pieces of legislation deal a serious blow to working Hoosiers. Both were rushed through without input from communities like ours, and both reflect priorities that are out of step with what most Hoosiers actually need.

The state budget was dropped just 24 hours before the vote, giving little time for review and no opportunity for House Democrats to shape it. It slashes support for the very things families rely on — public education, health care and local services— while protecting tax breaks for the wealthy and expanding private school vouchers.

Senate Enrolled Act 1: “Property Tax Relief”

SEA 1, meanwhile, was framed as “property tax relief,” but it’s nothing more than a bait-and-switch. It offers minimal help to homeowners, excludes renters entirely and creates a massive funding gap for local governments. That gap will likely be filled by raising local income taxes, up to $1.1 billion annually, forcing working Hoosiers to pay more for fewer services.

Together, these bills shift public dollars away from traditional public schools and core services and redirect them to charter schools, voucher programs and unproven initiatives. Public schools, which are already underfunded, will face even more strain, while services like police, fire, EMS, libraries and parks are threatened by forced budget cuts.

At a time when Hoosiers are grappling with rising costs, this legislature passed policies that make life harder. We should be making it easier for families to afford health care, find child care and trust that their local schools and services are getting the support they deserve — not balancing budgets on their backs.

Budgets and tax policy should reflect the real lives of Hoosiers. These don’t, and for that, I voted “no” on both.

WNIN Lawmakers

On April 25, I joined WNIN’s Lawmakers, alongside State Sen. Vaneta Becker, for a conversation about the 2025 legislative session, the finalized state budget, and the decisions made at the Statehouse and how they effect our community and Hoosiers across the state.

If you didn’t catch it live, I encourage you to watch the replay below. These conversations matter, and I’m grateful to WNIN for providing a platform where local voices and perspectives can help shape the broader policy discussion.