Dear Local Officials,
On March 26, 2014, Governor Pence signed into law House Enrolled Act 1266 (“HEA 1266”). HEA 1266 includes provisions that transition the process of advertising political subdivision budgets and levies from a newspaper system to an online system through the Department of Local Government Finance’s (“Department”) Gateway website. However, for 2015 only, political subdivisions will also have to publish their budgets and levies in the newspaper in the manner required in past budget years.
HEA 1266 requires that taxpayers be able to search their budget and levy notices by address on the Gateway website and that the Department must provide a telephone number by which a taxpayer can call the Department and request to have budget, levy and meeting notices sent to them by mail.
The Department has developed several tools to assist local units with announcing the availability of the website, www.BudgetNotices.IN.Gov. The Department encourages you to share this website with your taxpayers and local media. Local units may access these tools on the Department’s website,http://www.in.gov/dlgf/9385.htm. Tools available to your unit include:
· Icon to place on your website
· New Release Template
· Letter to the Editor Template
· Email to Taxpayers Template
· Poster promoting the website and phone number
· Customizable Poster
· Social Media Messaging
· Email Signatures with hyperlinked icon
Units are encouraged to promote the website, www.BudgetNotices.IN.Gov, and phone number, (888) 739-9826, beginning in July and continue until the end of October.
Units that wish to have customized pieces may contact Jenny Banks, Director of Communications at (317) 234-4376 or jbanks@dlgf.in.gov.
