From the Muncie Star-Press:
The city of Muncie’s finances aren’t in a crisis, Mayor Dennis Tyler said after talking to budget experts at the state.
“The (loss of anticipated tax revenue) will go to $13 million, but it doesn’t affect us,” Tyler told The Star Press Thursday.
Tyler and other officials reacted to news from the Delaware County auditor’s office this week that, because of a complicated series of changes to tax caps on local properties, the amount of anticipated property tax shortfalls would jump. County government would lose $1 million more than expected this year and Muncie Community Schools would lose $2 million more.
The biggest decrease in revenue would hit the city, however, which would see its downturn go from an expected $7.6 million to $13.9 million.
Almost immediately, Tyler said he wasn’t certain if those numbers were correct and went to Indianapolis Wednesday to talk to budget experts at the Legislative Services Agency. Tyler is a former state representative.
On Thursday, he released a statement that said in part, “After learning about the auditor’s evaluation of our fiscal status, I didn’t believe that the city of Muncie was in a financial crisis. .. I went to Indianapolis and met with fiscal officials ... after reviewing our current assessments and tax credits, it appears at this time the city will actually gain a minor amount over last year.
“I believe the auditor may not have factored in our current tax levy and that would result in the numbers reported to me.”
Donna Patterson, deputy auditor and longtime tax settlement clerk, said Thursday her office stood by its projections.
“They did gain in their levy because they raised their general fund by 40 cents,” Patterson said. “But their circuit breaker exceeded what their gain was.”
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http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013305100008
