You Shouldn’t Take Economic Advice from Rob Kendall—or Any Radio Host

WIBC Radio Host Rob Kendall

WIBC’s Property Tax Rally Was a Con for Hoosiers

By Kelly Roberts and Sam Keen, Hoosier Enquirer Staff Writer April 9, 2025

Hoosiers have been sold a bill of goods, and the receipt is coming due. WIBC Radio, led by the likes of Rob Kendall and his fellow talk-show crusaders, staged a property tax rally at the Indiana Statehouse last month, waving the flag of relief for overburdened homeowners. They urged listeners to back Senate Bill 1, promising it would slash property taxes and put money back in Hoosier pockets. But like a late-night infomercial, the pitch was too good to be true—and now, taxpayers are staring down the barrel of a 4.1% income tax hike to pay for it.

Let’s rewind. WIBC’s rally, held on St. Patrick’s Day, was a spectacle of populist fervor. Hosts like Kendall, Casey Daniels, and Jason Hammer fired up the crowd, railing against lawmakers and championing Gov. Mike Braun’s vision for property tax cuts. They framed Senate Bill 1 as the golden ticket to financial freedom for homeowners crushed by rising assessments. Fast forward to this week: House Republicans have muscled through an amended version of SB 1, and Braun has given it his nod of approval. But the devil’s in the details—and those details spell disaster for working families.

House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) didn’t mince words when he broke down the new SB 1: “Let’s be real: Senate Bill 1 is a tax hike in disguise. Paying up to 4.1% in income taxes to your city and county on top of state and federal taxes is much more than the $300 max in ‘credit’ you could receive off your property tax bill in 2026. Businesses still get a break, but working Hoosiers get crumbs. This is a bad deal for working Hoosier families, which is why House Democrats voted no on this plan.”

The Hoosier Enquirer didn’t just take GiaQuinta’s word for it. We consulted lawyers and certified economists to dig into the numbers. Their verdict? He’s right. That shiny $300 property tax credit—the carrot WIBC dangled in front of rally-goers—pales in comparison to the thousands more many Hoosiers will fork over in new local income taxes. The math doesn’t lie: this isn’t relief; it’s a shell game. Businesses might catch a break with reduced property tax burdens, but the average working stiff? They’re stuck holding the bag.

So how did we get here? WIBC’s rally wasn’t about educating Hoosiers—it was about selling a narrative. Rob Kendall, a fixture on the station’s airwaves, has built a brand on bombast, not balance sheets. He’s not an economist; he’s a radio host with a microphone and a knack for riling up a crowd. Yet somehow, he and his colleagues convinced thousands of listeners that Senate Bill 1 was their salvation. The result? A policy that shifts the tax burden from property to income, hitting working families hardest while letting corporate interests off the hook.

This isn’t the first time Kendall and WIBC have peddled dubious economic takes. From railing against school funding to cheerleading tax schemes that sound better on air than they work in practice, their track record is less about fiscal wisdom and more about hot air. Maybe it’s time Hoosiers stopped tuning in to broke radio hosts for advice on their wallets. If you wouldn’t trust a weatherman to fix your car, why trust a talk-show personality to fix your taxes?

The amended SB 1 might have Gov. Braun’s blessing, but it’s no blessing for the people it claims to help. House Republicans tout a $1.1 billion property tax cut over the next few years, complete with credits for seniors and veterans, but the fine print reveals a grim truth: local governments, desperate to replace lost property tax revenue, will lean harder on income taxes. That 4.1% hike GiaQuinta warned about? It’s not hypothetical—it’s the mechanism to keep cities and counties afloat while homeowners cheer a measly credit that won’t even cover a month’s groceries.

Hoosiers got played. WIBC’s rally wasn’t a grassroots uprising; it was a con, wrapped in patriotic rhetoric and amplified by voices more interested in ratings than reality. Next time Rob Kendall or his ilk start preaching economic gospel, do yourself a favor: change the station. Your bank account will thank you.

Opinion Article