Aspire Johnson County Unveils 2025 Legislative Priorities
Aspire Johnson County, the economic development organization and chamber of commerce serving Johnson County, has announced its legislative priorities for the 2025 Indiana General Assembly. These priorities focus on advancing policies that attract talent and investment, updating road funding formulas to ensure equitable infrastructure support, and improving the availability and affordability of childcare.
“Workforce talent and infrastructure are critical drivers of business location decisions,” said Aspire President and CEO Christian Maslowski. “Indiana already boasts a competitive business tax and regulatory environment. Looking ahead, we must adopt forward-thinking policies that foster corporate investment in high-growth, high-wage industries and attract the workforce needed to sustain these sectors.”
Supporting Tax Policies That Attract Talent and Investment
Aspire advocates for tax policies that strengthen Indiana’s ability to attract workforce talent and investment in high-demand, high-wage industries such as life sciences, technology, and defense. Indiana consistently ranks among the top states for business tax climate. However, as businesses increasingly prioritize workforce quality alongside tax advantages and infrastructure, Indiana must adapt to remain competitive.
To ensure sustainable economic growth, Aspire supports evaluating the impact of state tax proposals on local tax revenue. Reduced local revenue could hinder communities’ ability to fund vital quality-of-place initiatives, which are essential for attracting talent and maintaining competitiveness. Any reductions must be offset with alternative funding sources to avoid shifting the burden onto businesses.
Ensuring Equitable Road Funding for Growing Communities
Aspire is also calling for updates to Indiana’s road funding formula to ensure equitable support for all road types, particularly in fast-growing communities. Current formulas base funding eligibility on road mileage, disregarding the number of lanes. As a result, a four-lane road receives the same funding as a two-lane road, creating significant challenges for communities facing increasing demands from residents, workers, and businesses.
This inequity forces growing communities to focus on basic road maintenance while delaying critical infrastructure projects such as multimodal corridors, beautification efforts, and safety enhancements. Adequate road infrastructure is fundamental to attracting talent and businesses, and underfunding high-growth areas—responsible for Indiana’s net residential and GDP growth—threatens the state’s economic competitiveness.
Improving Access to Affordable, Quality Childcare
Aspire’s third priority is addressing the availability and affordability of early childhood education, a persistent challenge for working parents and a barrier to economic growth.
Quality early childhood education not only ensures children are ready for kindergarten but also sets the foundation for long-term academic and professional success. Children who start strong are more likely to meet critical milestones, such as reading at grade level by third grade and graduating high school.
Aspire advocates for a focus on affordability, quality, and diversity in childcare options, coupled with comprehensive data collection to guide state policy. Affordable, high-quality childcare serves as a powerful workforce recruitment tool, increasing labor participation by providing parents with stability and confidence in their childcare arrangements.
Aspire's Role in Shaping Business Policy
A strong business environment drives economic growth, job creation, and quality of life. Aspire advocates for business interests by engaging with leaders and legislators through forums and direct lobbying on key issues. Our Business Advocacy Council monitors legislation, recommends positions, and sets annual priorities. Represented at the Statehouse by Torchbearer Public Affairs, Aspire works to ensure pro-growth policies benefit businesses and the community.