EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — U.S. Senator Mike Braun shared with supporters in Evansville what he would like to see if elected governor in November 2024.
Some candidates in the race say they want to eliminate the state income tax, but Braun says the state would miss out on $8 billion in revenue.
“When you just throw it out there, and you don’t talk about how you’d fill it, because you’re losing services, then all of a sudden you’re pulling away revenue,” Braun said. “So, you have to be smart enough to know how to time it, how to do it and find savings in other forms of government, and I think I’m best qualified to do that.”
Braun also spoke about the ACLU lawsuit filed against the state Department of Corrections.
The civil rights organization argues that inmates not receiving gender-affirming care is a cruel and unusual punishment.
“When you’re actually espousing gender stuff — and want the state to pay for it — I don’t think that makes sense,” Braun said. “So, I think the ACLU suit is probably not going to hit paydirt, and I think that’s a crazy idea to begin with.”
Despite the case’s constitutionality, Braun said some gender-affirming care is not on the mind of Hoosiers.
“I think when it comes to our state promoting that among youth or anyone who would be a state employee or a prisoner, that doesn’t make sense,” Braun said.
Dr. Glen Kissel — a professor at the University of Southern Indiana — is still checking who he will support in the election and asked the senator about Indiana education.
Kissel says Florida has done great work in reforming its education system and that Indiana should follow suit.
“So I see the products of K-12 — whether it’s public schools and private schools — and I’m seeing that my students are lacking — for example — civics knowledge, which is kind of shocking, and there’s no reason for that,” Kissel said.
Braun says one of the policies Indiana needs is continuing not to mandate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in schools.
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