Warsaw Mayor To Attend Legislative Meeting In Indy Friday
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Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Indiana mayors including Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer will meet with legislators in Indianapolis Friday to discuss Governor Mike Pence’s proposal to eliminate business personal property taxes. During Monday night’s council meeting, Thallemer said he will visit Indianapolis. Kosciusko County could lose approximately $10 million in revenue if the personal property tax is eliminated, Thallemer said. The city does not have a number yet how the property tax elimination could affect it, but Thallemer said it would be significant.” Thallemer said 23 percent of the city’s assessed valuation comes from personal property taxes. “The big issue is if the personal property taxes are eliminated, about 45 percent of that tax would be shifted to real estate property so a lot of residents could see their real estate property taxes go up,” Thallemer said. Of the amount the state collects in personal property taxes, roughly half would be shifted to real estate taxes and the other half would be a cost to municipalities, school corporations, counties and libraries. Charlie Smith, Warsaw Redevelopment Commission president and city councilman, said the commission is opposed to the elimination of the property tax and KEDCo feels the same way. “It would be very detrimental to our ability to attract and bring in new business,” Smith said.
