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Some Kosciusko County taxpayers soon will be paying higher ditch taxes because of changes in the real estate tax statement form.
Ditch tax statements are being consolidated on property tax statements beginning this year. To accommodate the new format and to avoid increasing minimum ditch assessment rates, some minimum ditch assessments will be reduced, according to county surveyor Dick Kemper.
The policy also will result in each small parcel having a separate tax identification number being assessed the minimum for its drainage area or ditch, Kemper said. As a result, some landowners who have multiple adjacent tracts may see an increase in their total ditch assessment. The "rate per acre" on assessments will not be affected at this time.
For example, "Joe Average" owns four adjacent lots. Under the old ditch assessment, he would pay a minimum of $5 for all four lots. (Minimums vary from ditch to ditch.) The new policy will require Joe Average to pay $5 per lot, or a total of $20.
The drains whose minimums are being reduced include Danner drain, from $6.25 to $5; Mary Koontz drain, from $5 to $4; Gay Easterday Robinson, from $6.25 to $4; Swick Meredith, from $12.50 to $9.70; Wyland, from $6.25 to $5.40; and Sarah Williamson, from $25 to $15.
If Joe Average's four lots were on Sarah Williamson drain, he will pay $60 instead of $25. However, because the minimum assessment was reduced, he is paying $40 less than what he would have had the minimums not been reduced.
The new tax statements only include up to three ditches. If a property owner has more than three ditches, the remaining ditches will be billed separately.
Kosciusko County Drainage Board approved the changes. The board will hold a public hearing on the new assessment and tax statements at its Feb. 24 meeting at 9:30 a.m. in the county courthouse.
In other business, the drainage board unanimously approved a request by John Magsam, of Jones & Henry Engineers, Fort Wayne, for a variance for the Lones arm of Deeds Creek, west of Ind. 15 and CR 200N. The city of Warsaw will install a sewer pipe in the right of way. Jones & Henry are doing the engineering work for the project.
