Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Elected officials from Warsaw and every incorporated town, except Sidney, gathered in the old courtroom Thursday to hear about two issues.
Called to the meeting with Kosciusko County council and county commissioners, the group heard a proposal to raise another $80,000 for the solid waste district through an increase in a tax levy.
The audience also heard about HB1219, which will allow counties to issue provisional property tax bills.
Sue Studebaker, the solid waste district's executive director, said revenue comes from two sources: a $0.002667 levy and "tipping" fees at the Packerton Landfill. The district receives a percentage of the cost per ton charged at the landfill.
"In 2000, tipping fees were an average of $14,000 per month," Studebaker said. "In 2001, the average was $12,000. Last month we received $8,000."
The district could collect up to $590,859 as determined by the Department of Local Government Finance.
The current levy brings in $74,082; the proposed increase would bring in $154,082. Because of the tipping fee income, the board requested decreases in the tax levy.
Levy reductions are automatically granted. However, to raise the tax again, the county council and all the town councils must pass the proposed resolution. If one of the municipalities or the county council denies the petition, it fails for this year.
The district board of directors cut its budget by $100,000 to provide services this year.
Those services include collection of recyclables at several locations around the county, regular household chemical days, battery and mercury collection and a shoe recycling project that totaled 11,271 pounds last year.
The district also provides education to any group and operates a reuse room.
The district's board of directors are Brad Jackson, David Delp, Avis Gunter, John Kinsey, Ron Truex, George Clemens and Ernie Wiggins.
• Meeting was first of its kind, officials say
No one could ever recall such a gathering as Thursday, when representatives of all the town councils and Kosciusko County commissioners and council met informally to discuss two topics.
The first topic involved a resolution to raise the solid waste district tax levy.
The second item was discussion of HB 1219, which will allow counties to issue spring property tax statements and collect 50 percent of last year's bill.
It is about the only way to keep municipalities from the loan banks or to shorten the loan times, county auditor Sue Ann Mitchell advised the group.
Until reassessment matters are resolved at the state level, actual property tax invoices could not be mailed.
HB 1219 was approved by the House and has been amended by the Senate.
If the legislation passes, property tax bills will be mailed with a June 16 due date. Money will be distributed to the municipalities and townships Aug. 6. A second, reconciled collection would be set Nov. 10.
If the bill fails, property taxes would be due Sept. 15 for the first installment with a possible distribution Oct. 18. The second installment would be due Nov. 10.
While cumulative funds can be used to pay bills, some municipalities would still need to take out a loan to conduct business.
Mitchell also said Kosciusko is one of the counties that will experience a 5.7 percent reduction in county Economic Development Income Tax and 10 percent less in County Option Income Tax distributions.
COIT estimates for 2004 are $8,915,457; 2003 COIT is $9,906,064. CEDIT estimates are $4,003,469 for 2004; $4,245,456 in 2003.
Kosciusko is one of 36 counties allegedly overpaid by the state.
Someone asked if all the town and the county officials had ever met in a group before, and Mitchell said she couldn't recall an instance.
