Governor Mike Braun made a stop in Elkhart Thursday during the Indiana Conference of Mayors (ICOM), addressing local leaders on a wide range of topics, from property tax changes to workforce development, energy, and the future of public media funding.
Held at the Lerner Theatre, the ICOM gathering brought mayors from across the state together to share concerns about infrastructure, economic growth, and the impact of recent legislative changes.
One of the most immediate issues on the minds of local leaders was Senate Bill 1, Indiana’s new property tax law that slashes state support to local governments. Braun acknowledged the strain the bill is placing on municipal budgets and said cities like Goshen and Michigan City may need to pass local wheel taxes to help fund road and infrastructure projects.
“Wheel taxes are something you're going to need to use because if you don't do that, it's going to be hard for the state to partner up in places that need even more for their own roads,” Braun said. Goshen, which expects to lose up to 38% of its revenue by 2028, has already delayed major capital projects like a new fire station and repairs to Shanklin Pool. Mayor Gina Leichty said in a previous interview that cities can’t just raise funds like a private company might.
“Everybody says they want cities to operate like a business,” Leichty said. “But we don't operate like a business in terms that we can't just decide where we're going to generate more revenue. That's determined by the state.”While local funding was a major focus, Braun also spoke extensively about education and workforce development, emphasizing the need to guide students into high-wage careers, even if they don’t pursue a traditional college path.
“Far too many kids get guided into a college trajectory, and we haven't paid attention. Is there a job at the end of it? Half of them don't make it to the finish line,” Braun said. “My goal as governor is to make sure the high-demand, high-wage jobs are being filled…and all kids are getting scaled up, whether they're going to enroll, enlist, or find employment.”He also addressed rural economic development, praising the industrial growth seen in more remote parts of the state and advocating for a “Main Street” focus that emphasizes small businesses and local entrepreneurship.
On the issue of energy infrastructure, Braun said Indiana must prepare to meet growing electricity demands, particularly as power-hungry facilities like data centers seek to expand.
“We do not have the electricity to do many of them right now when they want to do it,” he said. “I'm going to try to be the leading governor on making sure that we get the newest type of base load electricity, which will probably be around SMRs, the safe nuclear systems that power our aircraft carriers and submarines.” Braun also spoke about his recently announced emergency alert task force, launched in response to natural disasters and weather emergencies seen in other parts of the country.
“You're not waiting to react, that's what the task force is about,” Braun said. “We’re going to make sure that learning from what we see across the country, Indiana is going to be in a good place.”The governor also responded to concerns about state support for public broadcasting, which was reduced under the state’s austere 2025 budget forecast. Braun said public media, like public health and other state-supported services, was part of a broader effort to balance the budget, but may be re-evaluated soon.
“Public broadcasting got caught in the crossfire of a budget forecast,” Braun said. “The good news is we run our state well enough that we’re already, in just three months, way better than the $14 million skinny surplus, it’s up to $337 million. ”Still, organizations like Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations have warned that delayed funding restoration may be too late for some stations. IPBS has already announced it will dismantle its statewide news team by the end of the year.
As the governor wrapped up his visit in Elkhart, he said cities that take initiative locally will likely be in the best position to partner with the state on future investments, especially as the General Assembly prepares for another budget cycle in 2026.
