Budget uncertainty is driving Indiana lawmakers to seriously consider so-called "sin taxes."

Why it matters: Republicans, who have generally opposed any tax increases, signaled during a budget discussion Monday that they would consider raising taxes on cigarettes, other tobacco products and alcohol.

• The state is facing revenue constraints, especially in the second year of the biennium budget, and uncertainty at the federal level as President Trump's administration proposes major spending cuts that could impact how much funding states receive.

Driving the news: Lawmakers are expected to vote today on a proposal that would raise the cigarette tax.

• Rep. Ed Delaney, D-Indianapolis, said he intends to introduce a budget amendment to raise the tax by $2 per pack on the House floor.
• The proposal was shot down in committee on Monday when House Republicans introduced their two-year $46.7 billion spending plan.

The big picture: House Republicans' proposal is nearly in lock-step with Gov. Mike Braun's budget plan — including on education spending, the largest state expenditure.

• It increases the K-12 funding by 2% each year and lifts the income cap on the Choice Scholarships, the state's private school voucher program.

The intrigue: Rep. Jeff Thompson, committee chair and the House's top budget writer, said he hopes to see a cigarette tax increase in the final budget bill.

• "I hope we get there," said Thompson, who voted against the committee amendment that would have done just that.

Between the lines: The Senate has historically opposed raising the tax while the House has been more supportive. Thompson said the tough budget conditions may pave the way this year.

What he's saying: "I'd rather tax sin than income," said Delaney, who has also drafted amendments to raise taxes on alcohol and gaming.

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IU Indianapolis has been recognized as one of the top research universities in the nation.

Why it matters: In higher education, research institution designations carry weight, and the new designation for IU Indy will give it a leg up in recruiting students, faculty and staff.

• "It takes our game one step above what it is now," IU Indianapolis chancellor Latha Ramchand told Axios. "We knew we had this caliber of research. This sends a message to everyone else."

Driving the news: The American Council on Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching announced an updated methodology for research activity designations last week, adding 41 universities to the highest tier of research institutions.

• The change was made to better reflect the work happening on campuses around the country and make clear how the classifications are awarded, the organizations said in a joint statement.

How it works: Research 1 institutions are now classified as those that spend at least $50 million in research and award a minimum of 70 research doctorates annually.

• In 2025, 187 institutions have been given a designation of R1.

Zoom in: IU Indianapolis is the newest Hoosier school to receive the designation and the only one in the city.

• IU's Bloomington campus, Purdue's West Lafayette campus and Notre Dame already had (and have kept) the designation.

What they're saying

✅ Legislation to start the process of potentially annexing counties from Illinois has passed out of an Indiana House committee. (WTHR)

⚖️ A special judge has denied motions from Richard Allen's attorneys aimed at overturning his conviction in the Delphi murders case. (WRTV)

🎭 Two local nonprofits are teaming up to open a new downtown dinner theatre on Mass Ave in May. (IndyStar)

➗ Purdue Global has launched a new Lilly Foundation-supported program with the MathTrack Institute to train more math teachers. (FOX59)

Whether she's playing for Dowling or Iowa or the Indiana Fever, Clark is a true superstar in that everything she touches seems to explode in popularity — and sports cards are no exception.

The big picture: Her arrival in the WNBA has not only transformed the sport but also changed the entire women's basketball card market by causing prices to skyrocket.

Driving the news: Clark's first mainstream card, from Topp's 2022/23 Bowman U Chrome, came out in June 2023 and sold for about $10 on eBay. Those Bowman U Chrome cards sold for more than $50 each during last year's WNBA season.

Stunning stats: A box of Panini Prizm — one of the hobby's main products — from last year typically sells for around $250 or less.

• Last week, Panini released its 2024 WNBA version for $1,199.95 a box — and they sold out within a couple of hours.
• The latest NBA version, which hasn't been released yet, is expected to sell for almost $350 less than that.

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Over two-thirds of U.S. metros ended 2024 with higher unemployment compared to a year prior, per recent Labor Department data.

Why it matters: The big national unemployment picture is one thing. The hiring climate in specific cities is sometimes another.

Driving the news: The unemployment rate was higher in December 2024 compared to December 2023 in 266 of 389 metro areas, according to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

• Put another way, nearly 70% of metros ended 2024 with higher unemployment compared to how they began the year.
• Unemployment dropped in 95 metros and held steady in 28 others.

Zoom in: The Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson metro had the nation's 54th largest rise in unemployment, with a 1% increase.

• Kokomo, Lafayette-West Lafayette, Michigan City-La Porte, Muncie and Terre Haute all tied for the state's largest increase at 1.4%.

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