Daniels Orders New Assessments
From WTHR.COM
Daniels Orders New Marion County Assessments
Gov. Mitch Daniels on Wednesday threw out the controversial property reassessments in Marion County that have led to large tax increases for some homeowners.
In a news conference in his office, Daniels said he was ordering all property in Marion County reassessed.
Daniels had indicated for several days he had serious doubts about the reassessments, calling them ''very suspicious'' since very few industrial and commercial properties received new assessments.
Daniels on Wednesday also said he has ordered Marion County's tax bills frozen at last year's levels, and recommended the county issue provisional tax bills until the reassessment is complete, which could take up to eight months.
The governor said he made the decision after his new commissioner of local government finance, Cheryl Musgrave, confirmed his belief that the original assessment was botched.
''She came in very quickly, looked and has assembled an overwhelming factual case the the local assessment here was completely unsatisfactory and, in fact, wasn't even done in many, many cases, with a very unfair effect for homeowners,'' Daniels said.
Daniels announced a blue-ribbon panel to consider long-term property tax solutions, including restructuring of local government and school districts.
The panel will be headed by Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard and former Gov. Joe Kernan. Both said they are not entering the study with pre-conceived notions, but Kernan indicated he thinks it's time for some changes.
''Our local governments were really organized a century and a half ago,'' Kernan said. ''I don't know of many organizations that have the same structure that they had a century and a half ago that are still around,'' Kernan said.
There has been speculation that Daniels would like to convince the Legislature to get rid of township government, at least in urban areas.
Daniels declined to say whether he is still considering ordering a special session of the Indiana Legislature to further blunt the tax blow.
The governor's order raises many questions about implementation and impact for those who have already paid their bills at the higher assessment. County treasurer Mike Rodman's aides told 6News that he and some top assistants are working frantically to answer those questions, something they hope to do by Thursday morning.
From WTHR.COM
Daniels Orders New Marion County Assessments
Gov. Mitch Daniels on Wednesday threw out the controversial property reassessments in Marion County that have led to large tax increases for some homeowners.
In a news conference in his office, Daniels said he was ordering all property in Marion County reassessed.
Daniels had indicated for several days he had serious doubts about the reassessments, calling them ''very suspicious'' since very few industrial and commercial properties received new assessments.
Daniels on Wednesday also said he has ordered Marion County's tax bills frozen at last year's levels, and recommended the county issue provisional tax bills until the reassessment is complete, which could take up to eight months.
The governor said he made the decision after his new commissioner of local government finance, Cheryl Musgrave, confirmed his belief that the original assessment was botched.
''She came in very quickly, looked and has assembled an overwhelming factual case the the local assessment here was completely unsatisfactory and, in fact, wasn't even done in many, many cases, with a very unfair effect for homeowners,'' Daniels said.
Daniels announced a blue-ribbon panel to consider long-term property tax solutions, including restructuring of local government and school districts.
The panel will be headed by Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard and former Gov. Joe Kernan. Both said they are not entering the study with pre-conceived notions, but Kernan indicated he thinks it's time for some changes.
''Our local governments were really organized a century and a half ago,'' Kernan said. ''I don't know of many organizations that have the same structure that they had a century and a half ago that are still around,'' Kernan said.
There has been speculation that Daniels would like to convince the Legislature to get rid of township government, at least in urban areas.
Daniels declined to say whether he is still considering ordering a special session of the Indiana Legislature to further blunt the tax blow.
The governor's order raises many questions about implementation and impact for those who have already paid their bills at the higher assessment. County treasurer Mike Rodman's aides told 6News that he and some top assistants are working frantically to answer those questions, something they hope to do by Thursday morning.
