I didn't want to start a new thread, but wanted to make sure people understand the special "Hometown Matters" city council meeting tomorrow: "2 % Circuit Breaker Effects" is not about electricity.

Here is a link to the Hometown Matters Fact Sheet and the LSA 2% Circuit Breaker Memo. This is the subject of the special city council meeting being held tomorrow at 6:30 p.m.

http://www.citiesandtowns.org/content/Hometown/2006HMpresentation.pdf

http://www.citiesandtowns.org/content/Hometown/OnePageHandout.pdf

http://www.citiesandtowns.org/content/Hometown/CSTFP_CircuitBreaker.pdf

http://www.citiesandtowns.org/content/hometown.htm

Again I apologize for posting this on two threads, but wanted to be sure that interested taxpayers had more information on the special meeting tomorrow.

I think the city council will be looking at the financial impact of the 2% circuit breaker. Basically if a person owns a $100,000 house, and their total tax is greater than 2% or $2,000, for sake of argument, lets say $3,000, the taxpayer has to be repaid $1,000.

Many people are now getting their new assessments based on "trend" data. My assessed value increased over 20% from last year. So even with the 2% circuit breaker, I am going to pay more property taxes next year. Even if the tax rate per $1,000 of assessed value does not go up, since the assessed value is going up, so are my taxes.

Despite this, our Mayor has commented on two recent occasions that taxes will not be going up. Which planet was he referring to?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jj0955,

jj this is my own op ion and I will catch hell for it but, I have express my opion of MR. Bower and Tebbe and left the Mayor out now we will find out that all of them has lied to the Voters but I will Waite till Election time to oust these people that can not tell the truth about anything, Just a common man can only express myself when I vote. NO TO BOWER, Tebbe, Gardner and the rest of the councel.....

I share your frustration Mr. Willy.

I have learned over the past year that anytime the city council is REQUIRED by some statue or code to hold a PUBLIC hearing or meeting, it may not be a good thing. I would hate to see the meeting end in five minutes with little public interaction.

The 2% circuit breaker will have a significant impact on local finances. From the reading I have done, I think (opinion) Hometown Matters and citiesandtowns.org are against the 2% circuit breaker. Municipalities will be forced to reduce budgets (something Greensburg has pr oven they are not good at), tax revenue will be lost, and according to the data provided by citiesandtowns.org it will impact funding and bond issues. With the growth coming in our area, the 2% circuit breaker could have a significant impact in the next few years.

I hesitate to state any opinion on the city's position until after the meeting.

Is this meeting just for the city, or should the county residents be concerned as well?

SAHMof2:

Don't know how to answer your question. According to the information provided on the websites, the county auditor will process applicable property tax refunds when the 2% circuit breaker goes into effect. The 2% circuit breaker is a statewide mandate that begins in 2008 for all residential property, and by 2010 will apply to all real and personal property.

I am only speculating that this meeting is to inform taxpayers of the 2% circuit breaker and its potential impact on the city.

The information on the website did mention : "Southwest Allen County School's taxpayers will shell out an additional $100K on a $5M project to add 12 classrooms because its bond rating was downgraded." But this information is being provided by a group that further states in the same publication: "The circuit breaker is a plan to help property tax payers, but is actually costing them more". So apparently the group Hometown Matters and citiesandtowns.org are against the circuit breaker.

Here are two more links I found with more information:

www.in.gov/dlgf/pdfs/2_percent_Cap_Bond_Ratings_Memo_Final.pdf

www.citiesandtowns.org/content/Hometown/CircuitBreakerFactSheet.pdf

There are a lot of links where school boards are discussing the 2% circuit breaker.

Eventually the circuit breaker will impact all Indiana taxpayers, unless it is changed. I am not sure if the County government is planning any meetings about the 2% circuit breaker.

Sorry I can't provide better information, but when I first read the notice in the newspaper I had no clue it was in any way related to property taxes.

Did everyone see the top of today's (11/29/06)newspaper:

"Coming tomorrow: City proposes new tax"

Can't wait.

JJ THAT CANT BE TRUE THE MAYOR WOULD NOT DISTORT THE TRUTH, AND HIS COUNCIL WOULD NOT BE the same way, MR . TEBBE OR BOWER WOULD NOT DISTORT THE TRUTH, NO WAY ANY TAX INCREASE THE MAYOR SAID SO AND Mr. Bower has always done his job as he see fit not WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT THAT PUT HIM IN OFFICE, AND GARDNER I guess I need higher education she never disagree with anything or stand up for anything, Hell I'm smart enough to to that and I have vary little educ.

Below are some property tax links for information. There is also a link about the circuit breaker. Will have more information on Hometown Matters and the circuit breaker when I have time.

Here is a link to IC that describes the procedure for a taxpayer to appeal an assessment:

http://www.ai.org/legislative/ic/code/title6/ar1.1/ch15.html


Here is a link to the procedures that are supposed to be used to perform real property assessments:

http://www.ai.org/legislative/ic/code/title6/ar1.1/ch4.html


Here is a link to the procedures that are supposed to be used to perform personal property assessments:

http://www.ai.org/legislative/ic/code/title6/ar1.1/ch3.html


Here is a link to property taxes, general definitions:

http://www.ai.org/legislative/ic/code/title6/ar1.1/ch1.html


Here is a link to the Indiana Department Local Government Finance Fact Sheet on the Circuit Breaker:

http://www.in.gov/dlgf/pdfs/Circuit_Breaker_Fact_Sheet.pdf


Here is a link to where the average property tax dollars go in Indiana:

http://www.in.gov/dlgf/taxpayer/property_tax_dist.html


Here is a link to the certified tax rates for Decatur County 2006:

http://www.jj0955.com/PdfFiles/DecaturCounty2006CertifiedTaxRates.pdf


Here is a link to the certified tax rates for all of Indiana (91 pages):

http://www.in.gov/dlgf/pdfs/2006_tax_rates_06092006.pdf


Here is a link to assessor forms:

http://www.in.gov/dlgf/local/assessor_forms.html

Haven't RECEIVED MY NEW ASSESSMENT YET ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE HOLD UP IS.

Willy:

You should be getting a copy of the assessment very soon. If you live in Washington township, you can call Francis Geis at 662-7815 to inquire.

Will tey got me to went up 15,300

They also got my Brother,and Brother in law 38,000

$17K here.
I couldn't be happier.
Spend all you want, I'm happy to keep giving you more.
I'll just go to my boss and tell him the same thing.
"I blew everything you paid me already, so you now must give me more".

They got us by $36,000. My parents and siblings actually went down, but they live on the other side of the county. Guess that is one of the perks of living in Adams Township. Not only do we get Honda out our front door and 19 warehouses out our back door, we get the added bonus of footing the bill.

I found something very interesting here. One year I went in on 3/14 and wanted to apply a credit which we had just become qualified to receive. The reply was, "Sorry, you needed to do this before 3/1 so you won't see it for (roughly) 2 years." Honda wasn't even a glimmer in Decatur County's eye back on 3/1, but somehow all increases were back-dated to March. So any increases will result in payment in 2007. I'm not looking for increases because Mayor Manus assured everyone there wouldn't be any...and he wouldn't be one to lie.

Lets face it folk's in spite of all the hipe Honda is going to cost us taxpayers!