Full
Senate Approves Sen. Schneider’s Provision to Examine Property-Tax
Assessments
STATEHOUSE
(Feb. 26, 2013) — Legislation amended by State Sen. Scott Schneider
(R-Indianapolis) to review certain Marion County property-tax assessments today
passed the Senate 50-0.
Part of Senate Bill 494 requires that the state create a
five-year pilot program to review property-tax assessments in townships where
residents have noticed higher than normal assessed value growth. The program
would look specifically at Center, Wayne and Washington townships in Marion
County.
“Hoosiers
taxpayers have benefited greatly from Indiana’s property-tax caps,” Schneider
said. “After talking with several residents throughout my district, however, it
appears that significant increases in some assessed values are still alarming
taxpayers. We need to make sure dramatic increases in assessments are not being
used to circumvent property-tax caps. I am pleased this issue will be examined
to ensure that all taxpayers are treated fairly.”
Schneider
said the findings of the pilot program will determine the fairness of the
assessment system not just for residents in the townships examined, but for
taxpayers across the state.
The relevant portion of SB 494 reads as follows:
SOURCE: IC 6-1.1-14-12; (13)SB0494.1.3. --> SECTION 3. IC 6-1.1-14-12 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2013]: Sec. 12. (a) As part of the review under IC 6-1.1-33.5-3(4) and IC 6-1.1-33.5-3(5) of the coefficient of dispersion study and property sales assessment ratio study submitted by a county under 50 IAC 27-4-4, the department of local government finance shall conduct the review and analysis described in this section.
(b) The department shall:
(1) conduct its review and analysis for studies submitted in 2013 through 2017; and
(2) review and analyze only data and studies for property that is classified as improved residential property in townships having a population of more than one hundred thirty thousand (130,000).
(c) The department shall separate each township described in subsection (b) into four (4) comparable groups of parcels as determined by the department. The department shall:
(1) separately review and analyze for each group of parcels data used for the coefficient of dispersion study and the property sales assessment ratio study submitted by the county; and
(2) prepare a coefficient of dispersion study and a property sales assessment ratio study for each group of parcels.
(b) The department shall:
(1) conduct its review and analysis for studies submitted in 2013 through 2017; and
(2) review and analyze only data and studies for property that is classified as improved residential property in townships having a population of more than one hundred thirty thousand (130,000).
(c) The department shall separate each township described in subsection (b) into four (4) comparable groups of parcels as determined by the department. The department shall:
(1) separately review and analyze for each group of parcels data used for the coefficient of dispersion study and the property sales assessment ratio study submitted by the county; and
(2) prepare a coefficient of dispersion study and a property sales assessment ratio study for each group of parcels.
