Ben Smaltz (Taxpayer Friendly)

Watchdog Indiana Home Page Indiana General Assembly & Governor Ratings Legislative Voting Record

Address: 302 Hunters Ridge, Auburn, IN 46706
Phone: (260) 573-0344
E-mail: H52@in.gov; vote@BenSmaltz.com   
Website: http://www.in.gov/h52; /http://www.bensmaltz.com/ 

2013 General Assembly Voting Record
Voted YES on House Bill 1001, which is Taxpayer Friendly because the 2013-15 state budget makes better use of the existing state Gasoline Tax and state Sales Tax revenues from gasoline purchases with NO NEW TRANSPORTATION TAX INCREASES to increase transportation funding for INDOT by 11%, cities and towns by 34%, and counties by 23%.
Voted YES on House Bill 1011, which is Taxpayer Friendly because construction of a costly light rail transportation system cannot be approved by a new central Indiana transit district before March 14, 2014.
Voted NO on House Bill 1117, which was Taxpayer UNfriendly because it created the possibility for a minority of county income tax council members representing a minority of the county population to impose a county-wide motor vehicle excise surtax and wheel tax. 
Voted YES on House Bill 1313, which is Taxpayer Friendly because it (1) supports the establishment of a 2013 interim committee to study local government regulation of  residential leases and (2) prohibits a local government from adopting regulations for landlord licensing, mandatory landlord classes, and rental inspection and registration fees until July 1, 2014.
Voted YES on Senate Bill 319, which is Taxpayer Friendly because it prevents a significant shift of the property tax burden to farm working families by (1) using the current soil productivity factors until 2015 and (2) requiring the Department of Local Government Finance to confer with the College of Agriculture of Purdue University and submit a 2013 interim study committee report on soil productivity factors.

Watchdog Indiana Candidate Questions - November 6, 2012, General Election
1. QUESTION: What are your priorities regarding the 2013-2015 state budget? ANSWER: DID NOT RESPOND. RECORD (from campaign website): Legislators must empower our government agencies to seek new ways to efficiently and effectively take care of the business of the people of Indiana, and hold them responsible when they do not.
2. QUESTION: Should the non-transportation appropriations from the state’s Motor Vehicle Highway Account be transferred to the state’s General Fund so more of our Indiana Gasoline Tax dollars can be properly spent to meet our transportation needs? ANSWER: DID NOT RESPOND.
3. QUESTION: Should the Automatic Taxpayer Refund law be (a) improved to make refunds more likely, (b) kept as it is, or (c) eliminated? ANSWER: DID NOT RESPOND.
4. QUESTION: Do you pledge to maintain both the Homestead Standard Deduction and the Homestead Supplemental Deduction without ANY change? ANSWER: DID NOT RESPOND.
5. QUESTION: What is your position regarding township government reform? ANSWER: DID NOT RESPOND.
6. QUESTION: What is your position regarding redevelopment commissions oversight? ANSWER: DID NOT RESPOND.
7. QUESTION: Do you wish to make some additional comments about your candidacy? ANSWER: DID NOT RESPOND. RECORD (from campaign website): Quality of life, an educated and motivated labor force, low taxes, and fewer cumbersome governmental rules and regulations are key to creating an atmosphere that businesses are seeking. We must review business incentives and make necessary changes to appeal to job creators. Focusing on rewards for high achieving schools and offering parents a choice of schools they feel best fit the needs of their children are two examples of needed education changes. Rising energy costs, an aging transportation infrastructure, drainage and taxation are applying pressure to all of our farms. As the leaders of the State of Indiana, legislators need to find solutions to agricultural issues and recognize farmers as vital partners to our states survival. The only way to stop the methamphetamine problem and break the cycle is to make the primary ingredients; ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, available only by prescription and increase the penalties. Confining meth users for longer terms of incarceration allows time for the harsh chemicals to be purged from their systems.

Watchdog Indiana Candidate Questions - May 8, 2012, Primary Election
1. QUESTION: Should the 2013-2015 state budget be balanced where (a) current year appropriations do not exceed current year revenues, (b) there are no delayed payments and one-time fund transfers, and (c) a reserves balance of at least 5% is maintained? ANSWER: DID NOT RESPOND.
2. QUESTION: Should the non-transportation appropriations from the state’s Motor Vehicle Highway Account be transferred to the state’s General Fund so more of our Indiana Gasoline Tax can be properly spent to meet our transportation needs? ANSWER: DID NOT RESPOND.
3. QUESTION: Should the automatic taxpayer refund be improved, maintained, or eliminated? ANSWER: DID NOT RESPOND.
4. QUESTION: Do you pledge to maintain both the Homestead Standard Deduction and the Homestead Supplemental Deduction without ANY change? ANSWER: DID NOT RESPOND.
5. QUESTION: What is your position regarding township government reform? ANSWER: DID NOT RESPOND.
6. QUESTION: What is your position regarding redevelopment commissions oversight? ANSWER: DID NOT RESPOND.
7. QUESTION: Do you wish to make some additional comments about your candidacy? ANSWER: DID NOT RESPOND.

Watchdog Indiana Home Page Indiana General Assembly & Governor Ratings Legislative Voting Record

This page was last updated on 04/30/13.