Council Hears First Reading Of EDIT Proposal
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Kosciusko County Council President Brad Tandy gave the first reading of the proposed Economic Development Income Tax ordinance at Thursday's county council meeting.
The council will give the final reading, hear public input and vote on EDIT Saturday at 3 p.m. in the old courtroom in the courthouse. The tax rate for EDIT, if passed, will be .4 of a percent and will begin July 1. A person will be charged the tax based on their adjusted gross income as reported on their federal tax return.
Tandy told the small crowd present they could speak about EDIT if they could not be present at the Saturday meeting. He asked that if they were going to speak at Saturday's meeting not to speak last night. He asked each person to give only one presentation and not to be repetitive. He also set a time limit of two to three minutes.
Tandy also told the crowd the council has voted on EDIT three of the last four years in which he was on the council. Of two of the three times, EDIT was defeated. One year, he said it was voted on 3-2 but a court decision said they didn't have a majority to approve it.
"There has been a lot of discussion on EDIT the last few years," Tandy said.
The council was asked what kind of income was affected by EDIT and who does the bonding for EDIT.
Councilman Jim Tranter told the crowd income on the AGI line on the state tax form is used to assess EDIT and does not include Social Security.
Tandy said, "EDIT doesn't necessarily mean you're going to go out and get a bond."
Any bonds that are issued will be up for bids.
Jim Moyer, Trustees Association president, told the council the Trustees Association is opposed to EDIT. He said it is difficult for him to understand why the towns and counties need funding if eight towns decreased their tax rates from last year.
"If the towns have a need and support for this, you would think they would be here," Moyer said.
He said County Option Income Tax was more beneficial for the trustees because it goes into the general fund and can be used for such things as fire stations. If towns continue to grow, he said, they would need more money to help pay for public safety.
"There's a burden there that, as townships, we don't see any release," he said.
He also said if the county wants EDIT for a sewer system, that may not be a valuable reason to approve EDIT.
"It's not the opinion of the state that a countywide sewer system is the way to go," Moyer said.
He said under COIT, towns get $5.7 million total, libraries get $715,000, and townships get only $612,000.
In other business, the council approved four transfers.
The health department asked for two transfers of $2,500 each. Two transfers, one for $6,922.41 and another for $6,117.44, by the Sheriff's Department were approved. A transfer of $67 by the Van Buren Township was approved as was a $1,450 transfer for the Purdue County Extension Office.
The county council appointed Gerald Bitner to the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals and Howard Long to the Alcoholic Beverage Commission. [[In-content Ad]]
Kosciusko County Council President Brad Tandy gave the first reading of the proposed Economic Development Income Tax ordinance at Thursday's county council meeting.
The council will give the final reading, hear public input and vote on EDIT Saturday at 3 p.m. in the old courtroom in the courthouse. The tax rate for EDIT, if passed, will be .4 of a percent and will begin July 1. A person will be charged the tax based on their adjusted gross income as reported on their federal tax return.
Tandy told the small crowd present they could speak about EDIT if they could not be present at the Saturday meeting. He asked that if they were going to speak at Saturday's meeting not to speak last night. He asked each person to give only one presentation and not to be repetitive. He also set a time limit of two to three minutes.
Tandy also told the crowd the council has voted on EDIT three of the last four years in which he was on the council. Of two of the three times, EDIT was defeated. One year, he said it was voted on 3-2 but a court decision said they didn't have a majority to approve it.
"There has been a lot of discussion on EDIT the last few years," Tandy said.
The council was asked what kind of income was affected by EDIT and who does the bonding for EDIT.
Councilman Jim Tranter told the crowd income on the AGI line on the state tax form is used to assess EDIT and does not include Social Security.
Tandy said, "EDIT doesn't necessarily mean you're going to go out and get a bond."
Any bonds that are issued will be up for bids.
Jim Moyer, Trustees Association president, told the council the Trustees Association is opposed to EDIT. He said it is difficult for him to understand why the towns and counties need funding if eight towns decreased their tax rates from last year.
"If the towns have a need and support for this, you would think they would be here," Moyer said.
He said County Option Income Tax was more beneficial for the trustees because it goes into the general fund and can be used for such things as fire stations. If towns continue to grow, he said, they would need more money to help pay for public safety.
"There's a burden there that, as townships, we don't see any release," he said.
He also said if the county wants EDIT for a sewer system, that may not be a valuable reason to approve EDIT.
"It's not the opinion of the state that a countywide sewer system is the way to go," Moyer said.
He said under COIT, towns get $5.7 million total, libraries get $715,000, and townships get only $612,000.
In other business, the council approved four transfers.
The health department asked for two transfers of $2,500 each. Two transfers, one for $6,922.41 and another for $6,117.44, by the Sheriff's Department were approved. A transfer of $67 by the Van Buren Township was approved as was a $1,450 transfer for the Purdue County Extension Office.
The county council appointed Gerald Bitner to the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals and Howard Long to the Alcoholic Beverage Commission. [[In-content Ad]]