Porter County Assessor Jon Snyder announced Tuesday that his
office has received final approval from the Indiana Department of Local
Government Finance for the county’s 2012 assessed value ratio study, marking the
beginning of the 2012 pay 2013 property tax billing cycle. Approval comes a full
twenty days earlier than in the previous year.
“Each time we strive to improve our performance over the prior
year,” Snyder said. “Taxpayers in Porter County taxpayer can rest assured that
the county will once again achieve on time billing.”
Every year, the county assessor is required to review assessed
values by comparing them to market sales information and adjust them if
necessary. Assessments must then meet state-mandated statistical tests for
fairness, equity, and uniformity among townships and property classes.
Ratio study approval is the first major step towards on-time
billing in 2013. The next step, the rolling of gross assessed values from the
assessor to the county auditor, must be completed by July 1, 2012. The study
itself provides an early glimpse into property assessments for Porter County
taxpayers.
Snyder also announced that the county’s assessment appeal backlog,
which numbered over 7,000 in January of 2011, has now dipped below the 1,000
mark. According to Snyder, staff continues to work at reducing and eliminating
the backlog, and expects to be fully complete by the end of the year.
http://chestertontribune.com/PorterCounty/county_assessor_announces_comple.htm
