Indiana Local Government and Property Tax Reform Moving Along

The Indianapolis Star published Proposal aims to shift power of the purse in counties:

A short sentence wrapped into the state's massive tax reform bill, House Bill 1001, could give Beaver much more clout -- and give disgruntled taxpayers a new weapon in fighting decisions by public officials that cause their property tax bills to swell.

If the bill becomes law, it would give Beaver and the state's 600 or so other county council members the job of approving or rejecting big-ticket projects such as new schools, libraries and city parks.

The county councils would have the power to embrace or reject such plans after they have been approved by city and town councils, school boards and library boards.

The Indiana House summarizes House Bill 1001 this way:

"Property tax relief. Eliminates: (1) school tuition support levies; (2) school transportation fund levies; (3) county medical assistance to wards fund levies; (4) family and children's fund levies; (5) children's psychiatric residential treatment services fund levies; (6) children with special health care needs county fund levies; (7) the state forestry fund levy; (8) the state fair fund levy; (9) the department of local government finance data base management levy; and (10) levies to pay for incarceration of juvenile delinquents in department of correction facilities. Increases the circuit breaker credit for homesteads, certain rental property, residential mobile home parks, agricultural property, and property of certain lower and moderate income senior citizens."

About property taxes, take a look at Senate Bill 0012:

Circuit-breaker credit for property taxes. Provides that for property taxes first due and payable in 2009, the circuit-breaker credit is equal to the amount by which a person's property tax liability attributable to the person's: (1) homestead exceeds 1.5%; (2) residential property exceeds 2.5%; (3) nonresidential real property exceeds 3%; or (4) personal property exceeds 3%; of the gross assessed value of the property that is the basis for determination of the property taxes. Provides that for property taxes first due and payable in 2010 and thereafter, the circuit-breaker credit is equal to the amount by which a person's property tax liability attributable to the person's: (1) homestead exceeds 1%; (2) residential property exceeds 2%; (3) nonresidential real property exceeds 3%; or (4) personal property exceeds 3%; of the gross assessed value of the property that is the basis for determination of the property taxes.

Since you are online, take a look at the Indiana General Assembly Web site