Update from Indiana DLGF

We get these emails weekly, but thought some of our readers may want to stay updated as well:

Today's Topics:

1. Re: January 8, 2010: Indiana Counties 2010 On-Time Billing
Update (Rushenberg, Tim)

All,



Here is your Indiana Counties 2010 On-Time Billing Update

At least 70 counties are still on schedule for on-time property tax billing
in 2010. On-time property tax billing means a first installment property tax bill due date of May 10, 2010 - a feat accomplished by only two (2) counties last year (Kosciusko and Owen), and zero (0) counties in 2008 and 2007



2009-pay-2010 Assessment-Sales Ratio Studies



? DLGF has approved 88 of 89 assessment-sales ratio studies submitted by county assessors (including the DLGF-conducted assessments in LaPorte and Porter). We approved ratio studies for Brown and Floyd last week. We are still reviewing the ratio study from Lake. Last year on this date, DLGF had approved 45 of 71 ratio studies. The 88th ratio study for 2008-pay-2009 was not approved by DLGF until July 8, 2009 - a nearly 6 month improvement over last year.



? Posey, Clinton, and Fulton are the 3 remaining counties that have
not yet submitted a 2009-pay-2010 ratio study to the DLGF for review and a
pproval.





2010 Certified Net Assessed Values / 1782 Notices / Public Budget Hearings
/ Budget Orders



? Budget orders have been issued in a total of 32 counties. 6 budget orders were issued last week in Jay, Greene, Perry, Grant, Bartholomew,and Randolph.



? Budget hearings on budgets, tax rates, and property tax levies have been set for 5 counties this week: Parke, Hamilton, Dearborn, Dubois, and Orange. Last week, a budget hearing was held in Starke.



? Notices of DLGF's preliminary budgets, tax rates, and property tax levies ("1782 notices") have been sent to taxing units and are currently outstanding in 11 counties. Since last Monday's update, taxing units in 4 counties were sent 1782 notices: Benton, Decatur, Ripley, and Clay.



? Budgets, rates, and levies are currently being worked for taxing
units in 15 counties.



? 0 counties certified 2010 net assessed values last week. As a reminder, budgets will be worked in the order in which NAVs are received, so if you are a county that has not yet certified 2010 net assessed values to the Department, continue to work hard, stay focused with on-time tax billing as your primary goal, and certify net assessed values to the Department as soon as possible. There is still time to achieve on-time property tax billing in 2010; however, that window of opportunity is closing quickly so move fast!



? DLGF has received 2010 net assessed values from county auditors in 72 counties. This is a nearly 5 month improvement over last year (72nd county auditor certified 2009 net assessed values on June 3, 2009). Last year on this date, DLGF had received net assessed values from only one (1) county auditor (Jefferson on January 8, 2009).



To find out the status of a particular county for 2010 on-time property tax
billing, please see the DLGF's status map at http://www.in.gov/dlgf/files/2010_Cert_Status.pdf. This map details each step in the assessment to tax billing process, as well as the statutory deadlines. If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions, please feel free to contact me at (317) 233-6770 or trushenberg@dlgf.in.gov.



Very Respectfully,


Timothy J. Rushenberg
Commissioner

DLGF of Local Government Finance

Taxpayer First. Local Control. Excellence.