Letters to the Editor 03-10-2006
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Silver Lake Budgets
Silver Lake Budgets
Editor, Times-Union:In 2001, the town of Silver Lake annexed area around the Lake. The Annexation Ordinance (01-05-01) was based on IC 36-4-3. IC 36-4-3-8 states that the first three years of all property taxes received from the area, not used to meet basic services, are to be put into a special fund and used for additional services in the area.
This money is to be spent no later than five years after the annexation becomes effective. The first town property taxes from the area were for 2002 payable in 2003. Because of reassessment, the town received tax money in June, July and August 2003 based on taxes paid to the town in 2002.
The town did not receive lake area taxes until Dec. 31, 2003, and March 3, 2004. Through Dec. 31, 2005, there is no indication in the month-end reports that any tax money has been put in a special fund and that not many extra services have taken place in the annexed area beyond the noncapital and capital services that are provided to the area per the fiscal plan. There have been requests made by lake people that have been ignored.
As for paving and sidewalks, following are the amounts budgeted and spent for each. Paving: 2004 Budgeted - $112,000. 2004 Spent - $59,123 lake area, $7,088 original town area, $7,951 other and $33,118 held over for 2005.
2005 Budgeted - $116,233 plus holdover (total $149,351). 2005 Spent - $8,385 lake area, $30,856 town area, $26,000 other and $57,000 held over for 2006.
2006 Budgeted- $117,250 plus holdover (total $174,250). Paving quote for 2006-$0 lake area, $56,588 town area, $7,370 town office parking lot.
Totals for the three years: Budgeted - $345,483, spent or to be spent for actual paving - $67,508 lake area (annexation fiscal plan anticipated $92,090 lake area paving to be done by the end of 2004), $94,532 Town area and $7,370 for parking lot.
This means $176,073 more than necessary for paving has been collected.
Sidewalks: 2004 Budgeted - $25,000 plus $7,920 holdover from 2003. 2004 Spent - $0 lake area, $7,920 town area. 2005 Budgeted - $26,250. In June, repairs were approved at approximately $23,000 for the town, and if any funds were left, a sidewalk might be put in by the cemetery (lake area).
In July, additional sidewalk repairs were approved at $23,080 for the town and did not include the cemetery sidewalk. In November, $4,000 not to exceed $4,500 was approved for a handicap ramp for the Family Dollar Store. 2005 Spent - $0 lake area, $46,554 town area plus $4,500 held over for ramp.
This means $27,974 more than budgeted was spent. This information was obtained from town records.
If tax money was being put in a special fund and used for the lake area as intended, the amount of money being spent for town improvements would not be available. Also, not following the approved budgets, budgeting more than what will be used and then holding money over means higher taxes than necessary.
Brenda Wadkins
Silver Lake
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- Silver Lake Budgets
Silver Lake Budgets
Editor, Times-Union:In 2001, the town of Silver Lake annexed area around the Lake. The Annexation Ordinance (01-05-01) was based on IC 36-4-3. IC 36-4-3-8 states that the first three years of all property taxes received from the area, not used to meet basic services, are to be put into a special fund and used for additional services in the area.
This money is to be spent no later than five years after the annexation becomes effective. The first town property taxes from the area were for 2002 payable in 2003. Because of reassessment, the town received tax money in June, July and August 2003 based on taxes paid to the town in 2002.
The town did not receive lake area taxes until Dec. 31, 2003, and March 3, 2004. Through Dec. 31, 2005, there is no indication in the month-end reports that any tax money has been put in a special fund and that not many extra services have taken place in the annexed area beyond the noncapital and capital services that are provided to the area per the fiscal plan. There have been requests made by lake people that have been ignored.
As for paving and sidewalks, following are the amounts budgeted and spent for each. Paving: 2004 Budgeted - $112,000. 2004 Spent - $59,123 lake area, $7,088 original town area, $7,951 other and $33,118 held over for 2005.
2005 Budgeted - $116,233 plus holdover (total $149,351). 2005 Spent - $8,385 lake area, $30,856 town area, $26,000 other and $57,000 held over for 2006.
2006 Budgeted- $117,250 plus holdover (total $174,250). Paving quote for 2006-$0 lake area, $56,588 town area, $7,370 town office parking lot.
Totals for the three years: Budgeted - $345,483, spent or to be spent for actual paving - $67,508 lake area (annexation fiscal plan anticipated $92,090 lake area paving to be done by the end of 2004), $94,532 Town area and $7,370 for parking lot.
This means $176,073 more than necessary for paving has been collected.
Sidewalks: 2004 Budgeted - $25,000 plus $7,920 holdover from 2003. 2004 Spent - $0 lake area, $7,920 town area. 2005 Budgeted - $26,250. In June, repairs were approved at approximately $23,000 for the town, and if any funds were left, a sidewalk might be put in by the cemetery (lake area).
In July, additional sidewalk repairs were approved at $23,080 for the town and did not include the cemetery sidewalk. In November, $4,000 not to exceed $4,500 was approved for a handicap ramp for the Family Dollar Store. 2005 Spent - $0 lake area, $46,554 town area plus $4,500 held over for ramp.
This means $27,974 more than budgeted was spent. This information was obtained from town records.
If tax money was being put in a special fund and used for the lake area as intended, the amount of money being spent for town improvements would not be available. Also, not following the approved budgets, budgeting more than what will be used and then holding money over means higher taxes than necessary.
Brenda Wadkins
Silver Lake
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