(INDIANAPOLIS) — Instead of attracting new businesses to Indiana, a bill in the Indiana House
seeks to attract people who will work from home.
When the pandemic hit, the number of people working from home grew eightfold — half of them still
are. Fort Wayne Republican Martin Carbaugh says if people can do their job from anywhere,
Indiana could benefit by persuading them to do it here, so Indiana receives their income, sales and
property tax payments.
Carbaugh’s bill would offer remote workers up to $8,500 to get them to move to Indiana.
The money could be used for moving costs, as an income tax credit, or to offset the cost of
software, hardware and broadband access needed to work remotely. Carbaugh says the incentives could help rural areas in particular, who may otherwise have trouble persuading workers to give them a look as a place to settle.
The bill proposes a $1 million pilot program over the next two years, enough to pay a little more
than 100 workers if they collected the full benefit.
Carbaugh says there may not be enough time to pass the bill this year. The House Commerce
Committee endorsed the bill 10-1, but spending bills have to go through the Ways and Means
Committee. It’s not scheduled for a hearing by Tuesday’s deadline.
