Press

Township assessors feeling the heat Elimination of assessors was the hot topic at a legislative forum.
By RICK YENCER
ryencer@muncie.gannett.com
The Star Press January 20, 2008

MUNCIE -- Abolishing township assessors got more attention than property tax relief Saturday during a local Third House session.

Both issues, according to Rep. Dennis Tyler, D-Muncie, could be combined in one bill that reduces or even eliminates homestead property taxes while streamlining property assessment under a county assessor.

"There is no separating those two issues," said Tyler, as other area lawmakers generally agreed.

More than 100 people braved cold temperatures coming to Muncie City Hall on Saturday morning to listen to Tyler along with Sen. Sue Errington, D-Muncie, and Republican Reps. Bill Davis of Portland and Jack Lutz of Anderson talk about the short session dominated by property tax relief.

The audience included red-shirted members of Citizens of Delaware County for Property Tax Repeal wanting property taxes abolished or lawmakers out of office if they don't comply.

Joe Branson, one concerned taxpayer, promised Errington she would not be re-elected if she did not support property tax repeal. The same went for other lawmakers.

"We are going to have common people run for office," said Branson, confronting Errington before the meeting.

Errington is not on the 2008 ballot, but all House members are.

During the Third House discussion, Errington supported elimination of township assessors, saying they were designed for 19th Century Indiana.

Tyler explained, "It is the system, not the people, that has to be changed."

A member of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, Tyler said he had not decided on eliminating township assessors, questioning whether it would save money and improve assessing.

Several township assessors were in the audience, and pointed out their budgets amount to less than 3 percent of county government's budget and their job carries out the rules handed down by the state.

Debbie Crosley, Mount Pleasant Township assessor, said the state plan would likely hire a private firm to do statewide assessment, similar to Gov. Mitch Daniels efforts to privatize the toll road and other state services.

"We are the scapegoats in this," she said.

Lutz and Davis agreed the assessment system was broken, adding a single source assessment system was a plank of the House Republican tax plan.

"We have layers and layers of government," said Davis, that need to be reduced.

Dave Heeter, CEO of Mutual Federal Savings Bank and current chairman of the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, was in the audience and said two things have to happen in the legislative session.

"People have to be willing to pay their share and not be afraid," said Heeter, "There has to be a reduction in the cost of government."

The full House will begin debate Tuesday on Gov. Mitch Daniels' tax plan that came out of committee last week in House Bill 1001. The Senate also is expected to vote this week on Senate Bill 16 that eliminates township assessors.