Truth Staff
The Indiana House Ways and Means Committee unanimously passed a bill Monday that would exempt people who live outside the state and buy cargo trailers and RVs in Indiana from state sales tax.
The bill is authored by State Rep. Craig Fry, D-Mishawaka, and also sponsored by State Reps. Jackie Walorski and Tim Neese, R-Elkhart.
The two Elkhart County legislators have authored similar tax credits for recreational vehicles for the past three years. In each year, however, the Senate failed to pass the bill after it had been successful in the House.
"This bill will help the RV business draw customers from out-of-state and stay competitive," said Rep. Neese. "The industry is important to many people in Elkhart and northern Indiana, and this bill will help stimulate Indiana's economy in these hard times."
Reps. Neese and Walorski are more hopeful than ever the credits will be successful this year, considering Elkhart County's staggering unemployment rate.
While both representatives have authored separate bills introducing the credit, Rep. Fry added Reps. Neese and Walorski as co-authors to his own version of the bill.
"Northern Indiana needs this credit for RVs now more than ever," said Rep. Walorski. "This bill, if successful, will work hand-in-hand with the federal stimulus money to invigorate our economy and reduce the unemployment rate in our part of Indiana.