From the Johnson County Daily Journal:
Residents’ tax bills would go up if the Center Grove area becomes a town, and they would increase more than originally expected.
The community group Citizens for Center Grove decided to increase the proposed town’s budget after White River Township residents said they were concerned about whether the new town would be financially viable and also said they wanted more parks and trails.
The group added about a quarter more spending to the proposed town’s 2014 budget, which now is estimated at $6.3 million. Part of the increase is due to doubling the amount the town would put into savings.
Board member Jody Veldkamp said the group wanted to address concerns from residents that the new town would be underfunded and wouldn’t bring in enough money to realistically cover the costs. Residents also told the group that they would like more parks, trails and economic development, so more money was set aside for those things, he said.
Added spending means higher taxes. A projected tax bill will jump up by about 25 percent more than first projected by the group and its financial consultant, Umbaugh and Associates.
The group has given the Johnson County Commissioners a bigger budget and higher tax rate than what they had predicted at a public meeting in June. Residents repeatedly questioned whether the proposed budget was realistic and if spending and taxes would only increase over time.
http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/local_story/Cost-of-town-goes-up-_1345086276/
