CHARLESTOWN, Ind. (WAVE) - A new Indiana law is forcing towns to make some tough decisions when it comes to their budgets.

Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed Senate Enrolled Act 1 back in April, which is meant to lower property taxes by giving homeowners a credit worth 10% of their overall bill.

But, in Charlestown, this means almost every city department is dealing with budget cuts, adding up to a $1.2 million loss for 2026.

“If things don’t get better, if the legislature doesn’t fix some of the problems with this legislation, then our residents may have to rethink what they expect out of their city government,” said Charlestown mayor Treva Hodges.

Hodges said this year’s budget season was the hardest she’s had to go through, as Senate Enrolled Act 1 has led her and the rest of Charle

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