Voters in Indiana House District 40 will choose between two candidates this November to represent them in the Indiana House of Representatives. The district covers a portion of Hendricks County and includes the city of Avon and a portion of northern Plainfield.
There are 100 members of the Indiana House of Representatives. Their job is to work alongside the governor and the Indiana State Senate to create laws and set the state budget. Their seats go up for election every two years, and in Indiana there is no limit on the number of terms a representative can serve.
WFYI opened an ongoing voter survey in May, and the most common voting issues were data center policy, affordability, and feeling disempowered.
WFYI contacted each campaign and sent a survey based on voter questions — it asked candidates for their top priorities and their positions on civic health, data centers and affordability. For candidates who did not respond, information was gathered from websites and social media for a "Top priorities" note. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order.
Will Colteryahn
Personal information provided by candidate.
Party: Democrat
Website: willcolteryahn.com
Age: 41
Occupation: Program Director at Family Social Services Administration
Residence: Avon
Top donors (via Transparency USA):
- Charles Calhoun
- Shara J Calhoun
- Laura Davies
- Emma Hollingsworth
- Sarah M Morr
Colteryahn accepted WFYI's invitation to take a survey. WFYI fact checked statements about publicly available data.
If elected, what are your top policy priorities?
The first step is making life more affordable. That means lowering costs the legislature directly controls; starting with property taxes and utilities. For years, lawmakers have given large corporations generous tax breaks, including expanded equipment write‑offs in the last budget. In towns like mine, Avon, that hits hard: Amazon's forklifts end up prioritized over Avon's fire trucks. When corporations rely on our workers and sell to our residents, they should invest in our communities. When they don't, homeowners carry the burden. Cutting these abatements in half could reduce the average homeowner's bill by about 15%.
Utility costs tell a similar story. Legislators have allowed monopoly utilities to pass along far more than power usage: including capital expenses, lobbying costs, and executive pay. Some estimates show bills could drop by roughly 30% if non‑power charges were removed.*
We also need stronger regulation of big tech, especially where it affects small towns. Indiana must revisit online child safety and finally address the real problem: algorithms that push harmful content and targeted advertising to kids. We also need clear rules for data centers and ALPR "flock" cameras and how they interact with our communities.
Finally, we must improve services for Hoosiers with disabilities and seniors so they can live with dignity in their homes and communities.
*Editor's note: Estimates vary on the impact this change would have depending on the utility company being examined. You can read about those estimates in this article.
Many voters told us they don't think today's politicians listen to their constituents. Why do you think that is, and how would you address the concern?
I agree with that assessment, and it's a major reason I decided to run. My representative's refusal to respond to emails and phone calls — both as his constituent and as a senior leader in FSSA, pushed me to want to make change from within the Statehouse.
After more than two decades in social work, I know how to listen, meet people where they are, and offer practical solutions. Representatives should reflect the needs of their communities, which is why I run a fully transparent and open campaign. Most Hoosiers are too busy to track every move at the Statehouse, so I will bring the Statehouse to them. As a representative, I will hold weekly community meetings so neighbors can hear what's happening and how it affects them.
Throughout this campaign, I've tried to show my values and principles. It can be hard to predict how any representative will vote on every issue, but by explaining how I arrive at my beliefs, I hope to give my neighbors insight into how I make decisions. The only thing I will consider when voting is how it affects my neighbors. When I'm unsure, I'll ask. That's what a local representative should dooo many politicians vote in line with their campaign contributors instead of their neighbors. Our campaign accepts no money from political parties or industry PACs, so we're accountable only to our community. At a minimum, every elected official should be required to disclose their donors so constituents know who they're working for.
What is your position on data center development in Indiana?
I'm personally against encouraging data centers in my community, but I believe every resident should have a say in any large‑scale development that requires tax abatements or other incentives. No major project should move forward without community approval. To make that possible, we need to restore local authority. In recent years, the legislature has limited counties' and towns' ability to restrict certain business activities or enforce local codes. Returning that power would allow communities to decide whether they want data centers, where they should go, and what incentives, if any, should be offered.
As a state, we must stop offering tax write‑offs to large corporations, including data centers, without guaranteed job creation. Indiana has granted billions in abatements over the past decade, yet many data centers create fewer than 30 permanent jobs despite receiving multimillion‑dollar tax breaks. No business should be allowed to withhold revenue from a community unless that community receives a meaningful increase in good, high‑paying jobs. And every deal must include clawback provisions so public money is returned if job commitments aren't met.Too many politicians accept campaign contributions from utilities and developers who profit from data‑center projects. I will work to ensure that anyone who receives money from an industry must disclose that conflict and undergo an ethics review before voting on any bill affecting that industry.
Many voters told us they struggle to afford food, housing and healthcare. If elected, how would you help them address those needs?
This isn't about lacking money; it's about lacking political will. Indiana offers some of the most generous tax breaks in the country to large companies, many not even headquartered here, while also allowing them to pay wages so low that many workers rely on SNAP, Medicaid, and other assistance programs.
If tax dollars are invested in a company's growth, Hoosier taxpayers should see real benefits. That means producing good, high‑paying jobs. And if companies fail to meet those commitments, they shouldn't have received help in the first place and should return the money and lose access to future incentives.
Indiana's minimum wage hasn't increased since 2009, when it rose to $7.25. Since then, the state's cost of living has increased by roughly 20—25%, depending on the region. Meanwhile, nearly every surrounding state has raised its minimum wage without seeing runaway inflation or economic collapse. Those states saw fewer families needing help with food, healthcare, childcare, and education. Hoosiers work hard, and they deserve more than "just enough to get by."
Greg Steuerwald
Candidate did not fill out WFYI's survey.
Incumbent
Party: Republican
Website: gregsteuerwald.com
Age: 74
Occupation: Indiana State Representative, District 40; Small business owner; Attorney
Residence: Danville
Top donors (via Transparency USA):
- House Republican Campaign Committee
- Indiana Realtors PAC
- Indiana BANKPAC - State Fund
- Hoosiers for Quality Education PAC
- Indiana Multi Family Housing PAC
Top priorities: On his website, Steuerwald says he prioritizes low taxes and small government, and advocates for law enforcement and first responders. In the Indiana House of Representatives, he currently serves on the Statutory Committee on Ethics; Courts and Criminal Code and Judiciary committees.
