INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Republican governor candidate Mike Braun on Tuesday said he wants his property tax plan to bring tax burdens back down to pre-COVID pandemic levels.

Braun told News 8 that the plan he released on Friday came out of discussions he’s had with voters throughout the state.

“Probably the theme I’ve heard nonstop, property taxes,” he said. “What was working for most Hoosiers didn’t work when we went through inflation.”

Braun’s plan would expand the use of the homestead deduction. Homeowners with an assessed valuation greater than $125,000 would be able to deduct 60% of their home’s assessed value from their property tax bill while those with homes valued at less than $125,000 could claim that amount plus a $48,000 standard deduction. His plan also would cap property tax increases at 2% per year for seniors, low-income homeowners, and homeowners with children under 18 and 3% for everyone else. Braun said he settled on those numbers based on previous experiences with existing property tax circuit breakers.

“We want people to stay in their homes. I’m getting complaints from people that are having to decide, can I afford the property tax on my home,” he said.

Democrats attacked his plan following its announcement last week, saying it would deprive local governments and schools of the revenue they need to effectively deliver services. Braun said if any locality feared losing revenue, it could still ask voters to raise it through a referendum or look to other sources such as local income tax.

“It just doesn’t let you do it year after year where you’re going above and beyond what the ability of a local property tax bill has to pay for that,” he said.

Asked to respond to Libertarian Donald Rainwater’s criticism that his plan doesn’t solve the issue of paying property taxes over the long term, Braun replied, “I’d say if I’m between the Democrats and the Libertarians, I’m in a pretty good spot.”

State lawmakers are still in the middle of a multiyear review of the state’s tax system. The state and local tax review task force is required by law to issue recommendations no later than Dec. 1, including on property taxes. Braun said he is willing to work with lawmakers on a property tax plan but wanted to release a plan now to begin discussions.