From the Madison Courier:
Tax relief for owners of
homes in Madison's historic district would be a great help, but state
legislators need to hear from residents, a member of the Historic Board said
Monday at a workshop.
Mike Pittman and others in the
audience at the workshop said Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina have
good tax-incentive programs that help homeowners. In Indiana, the state
has such a program, but it is "very minute," city preservation planner Camille
Fife said.
Fife conducted the workshop to explain the
boundaries of the district, the city's historic district ordinance and
guidelines, and how they mesh, and to answer
questions.
Nearly 30 people attended, including five
members of the Historic Board, leaders of Historic Madison Inc. and the
Cornerstone Society, and several activists in the preservation community. The
audience also included homeowners who have or expect to have applications for
approval from the Historic Board.
The rundown condition
of some of the properties in the district was brought up. Fife said that if
funding were available, perhaps the city could have a program in which the city
would pay to have the work done, then send a bill to the owner and if not paid,
file a lien on the property owner's taxes. That is how the city handles
overgrown lots.
Having a run-down house is not just the
problem of a property owner, who she said usually cannot keep the house in
repair due to finances, health or other problems.
All
the buildings in the district "are part of our mutual heritage. ... We all have
a stake in them," Fife said.
http://madisoncourier.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=69669&SectionID=178&SubSectionID=963&S=1
