Governor Holcomb addresses inflation relief

WRTV's Kaitlyn Kendall asks Governor Holcomb what can be done to help Hoosiers cope with the rising cost of living.

By: Kaitlyn Kendall

ZIONSVILLE — Inflation is a nationwide issue right now.

Prices of gas, groceries, plane tickets and more have reach a point that is leaving Americans searching for answers.

The potential relief is a hot-button question many people want to be answered.

Governor Eric Holcomb was in Zionsville Wednesday to take part in a ribbon-cutting for a new trail.

WRTV crews met up with him there to ask questions on relief.

The average gas price around Central Indiana Wednesday was about $4.89 a gallon. That is around $.30 more than it was over the holiday weekend.

Gas isn't the only place Hoosiers are feeling the impact of inflation. Many are seeing it at the grocery store too.

"When you go to the grocery you want help now," Holcomb said. "What you want to do is make sure those root causes of inflation and there are a number of them. You wonder just how long before gas will spike and then bend back down. But what I know now is Hoosiers are hurting."

With the rising costs for so many things, it begs the question, what is being done to help you when it comes to your pocketbooks?

It's a controversial topic, that both Republicans and Democrats have opinions on.

The state has more than $6 billion in reserves, but the Governor said there are no plans to tap into that at this point.

"A reserve one day at one balance is not the same the next year," Holcomb said. "The $6 billion question is, when does the recession come? If. Also how is this national inflation impacting the state of Indiana?"

The Governor did say he has made a little progress on potential relief and said he had an idea to provide some, but wouldn't expand as to what that plan was or when Hoosiers might see it.

He also said Indiana needs help on the national front.

As for suspending the gas tax for Indiana for the summer, the Governor said he isn't interested in doing.

"I know Hoosiers need help right now, but there would have to be an understanding obviously that this is not endless. We do the math and one of the benefits of good fiscal stewardship is when it's raining you can help and as long as I am here, that's what is going to drive me is to try to help."

Hoosiers pay a $.32 excise tax and a $.24 sales tax adding up to $.56 more a gallon.

The Governor said he is set to sit down with the speaker and the president pro tem to talk about his idea for relief on Friday.