Lessons Learned at Harvard Are Brought Back to Indiana

Hoosier Lawmaker Will Use Coursework to Help Promote Economic Development, Job Creation

STATEHOUSE - Competitively selected from a group of global applicants, State Sen. Brandt Hershman (R-Lafayette) recently completed an executive education course at Harvard University on Comparative Tax Policy and Administration.  

Hershman said he was honored to be selected for the program, and plans to use the knowledge he gained to ensure Indiana's tax system promotes economic development and job creation.

"In today's difficult economy, we need to ensure that Indiana is well positioned to attract new jobs as well as retain existing employers," Hershman said. "Vital government programs rely upon tax revenue, so it's not realistic for taxes to be entirely eliminated, but we need to make sure our tax system is fair, competitive, and asks for as little money from businesses and families as possible. By benchmarking tax systems around the world, we can position Indiana to compete and win in the race for job growth."

Program attendees included high-ranking government and tax officials from the United States, Europe, Asia and Africa.  Presenters consisted of a wide range of senior Harvard faculty, as well as officials from the International Monetary Fund, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Internal Revenue Service. 

Hershman, who chairs the Indiana Senate Committee on Tax and Fiscal Policy, was the only state legislator in the United States selected for this year's program. He was among high-level practitioners from government, academia and the private sector to examine the latest developments in the design and implementation of tax systems throughout the world.

Under Hershman's leadership, working in partnership with the Daniels Administration, Indiana has been recognized as having the most improved business tax climate in America. Hershman was also a key leader of property tax reform which includes the only property tax caps for business currently enacted in the United States.  The caps, which Hershman co-authored, have been projected by Ball State University economist Dr. Michael Hicks to help create as many as 100,000 new jobs in the State of Indiana.

Hershman represents Senate District 7, which includes Carroll, Clinton, Howard, Jasper, Tippecanoe and White counties.