Northeast Indiana elected officials hope the state legislature will amend Senate Enrolled Act 1 in 2026.

At a roundtable discussion Friday hosted by Accelerate Indiana Municipalities, mayors and council members from cities and towns including Angola, Auburn, Columbia City, Huntington and Bluffton discussed how Senate Enrolled Act 1’s tax reform is impacting their communities. The new law reduces property taxes, which affects funding for local government entities.

Most, including Auburn Mayor Dave Clark, said the law has forced them into a hiring freeze.

“Our long-term plan to hire additional police and fire has been put on hold,” Clark said. “We have to continue to prioritize what’s important, and public safety is at the top obviously, and then, we just have to keep the conversation goi

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