Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Many people complain about their tax rates from time to time.
But today no county residents appeared at the Kosciusko County Drainage Board to even discuss combining the ditch tax statement with the property tax statement, which will increase drainage fees for some county residents.
Ditch taxes are being consolidated on property tax statements beginning this year in Kosciusko County. To accommodate the new format and to avoid increasing minimum ditch assessment rates, some minimum ditch assessments will be reduced.
The policy also will result in each small parcel having a separate tax identification number. Each parcel will be assessed the minimum for its drainage area or ditch. As a result, some landowners who have multiple adjacent tracts of land may see an increase in their total ditch assessment.
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.
The new tax statements include only 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 rate and new minimum changes in January.
The board advertised the public hearing on the new assessment and tax statements and a Jan. 28 Times-Union story noted the time, date and place of the meeting.
