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Southsider2k12
post Nov 27 2007, 11:57 AM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=46499.27

QUOTE
What Is The Value Of Assessors?
Their future is in question as officials look at ways to cut costs, better state’s property tax system.

Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch

LA PORTE - Controversy swirls around proposals to change Indiana's property tax system, with delays in property tax bills and many unhappy with the property assessment system.

Gov. Mitch Daniels has proposed eliminating all 1,008 elected county and township assessors.

His plan calls for streamlining the assessment process by having a single appointed assessor in each of Indiana's 92 counties selected by county councils. That selection would be on the basis of professional skills and experience, rather than having elected assessors.

Howard Conley has been trustee assessor in Springfield Township for 29 years and says the system provides valuable services to residents. Conley isn't against combining some smaller townships. But if county and township assessors are cut, the concern is townships could disappear.

"The Governor would like to eliminate township government all together," Conley said. "But you're not going to have volunteer firemen. They won't stay. In order to maintain fire protection, you will have to go to paid firemen. Where's that going to save money?"

The Indiana Assessors Association opposes Daniels' plan. While the governor would trim the number of statewide assessors to 92, the assessor group is recommending even fewer; one appointed assessor for 10 regions in the state.

Assessors have received the brunt of criticism for late tax bills and increased assessment figures. They want to change the public perception by having supervisors in the 10 regions report to the Indiana Department of Revenue, in an attempt to produce more consistent property assessments.

The IAA also would add one certified, experienced assessor in each region who would be selected by and report to the regional supervisors. This approach may eliminate all of the state's elected township assessors.

The Indiana Township Association Inc., created to support trustees and assessors, represents more than 750 of the state's 1,008 townships. The organization is preparing to fight efforts to do away with township government.

Of La Porte County's 21 townships, only the three largest - Center, Coolspring and Michigan - have full time assessors. The other 18 townships have elected officials serving as assessors and trustees.

Mike Schultz, assessor for Center Township, agrees township assessors bring a wealth of knowledge of local properties.

Schultz said he has been able to work well with the Nexus Group consultants hired to handle property values. He added his familiarity with Center Township gives him an edge consultants don't have when determining property values.

To boost the professional competency of township assessors, the state two years ago required all township assessors to become certified as Level 1 of Level 11 assessors.

But Conley says things haven't changed all that much.

"It's like before," Conley said. "There are good township assessors and those who don't care if they do a thing. That's what makes it bad for all of us."

The veteran township official does not like the move to more centralized and privatized government services being pushed by Daniels.

"I voted for him, but he's dead on arrival in the next (election)," Conley said.

Contact Laurie Wink at lwink@thenewsdispatch.com.
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Roger Kaputnik
post Nov 27 2007, 01:15 PM
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I hope that is correct about the re-election of Gov. Doofus.


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JHeath
post Nov 28 2007, 09:26 AM
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I'm speechless...does she really think she hasn't done anything wrong here?

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=37616.13

QUOTE
11/28/2007 10:00:00 AM
Assessor's Certification Threatened
State agency slams 23 counties for their delay in providing tax data.

Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch

LA PORTE - La Porte County Assessor Carol McDaniel could have her assessor certification revoked by a state agency if she doesn't provide the agency with delinquent property data.

The Indiana Department of Local Government Finance slammed assessors in 23 counties Tuesday, saying they face consequences if data isn't provided by Dec. 10.

Penalties for failing to produce the information include a written reprimand or losing assessor credentials for one year, DLGF Commissioner Cheryl Musgrave said.

"Delinquent data is an indication that 2008 tax bills may not go out on time, and counties may have to borrow in 2008 to fund services to taxpayers," Musgrave said in her announcement.

McDaniel refused to answer messages at her office Tuesday as well as a face-to-face questions Monday after the La Porte County Council meeting. She referred questions to county attorney Shaw Friedman.

The latest charge is McDaniel did not provide county property data by the original due date of Oct. 1 or by the extended date of Nov. 15.

Friedman said Tuesday he is confident the assessor's office will provide the required data to the DLGF by Dec. 10.

"I'm a little surprised that the agency would threaten to revoke certifications over data that is a month or so overdue since the state has spent time and money getting those folks properly trained and certified in the first place," Friedman said.

County treasurer Ken Layton said late data at the beginning has a domino effect. He said state law requires DLGF to certify county tax rates by Feb. 15. To do that, County Auditor Teresa Shuter needs to get property assessment data in October, apply exemptions and send the data to the state.

Layton said Musgrave recently took over as DLGF commissioner. All county officials knew deadlines were going to be strictly enforced, Layton said.

"The DLGF has a directive given to it by the General Assembly and the governor's office to fix it," Layton said. "Musgrave is following that edict to the letter."

The DLGF notified the 23 county assessors by e-mail last week delinquent data must be turned in by Dec. 10, or a certification revocation process would be started within 90 days. It's up to Musgrave to decide whether to issue a written reprimand or to revoke the assessor's certification.

According to Musgrave's announcement, her agency offered data assistance teams in July to help in putting the data package together.

The county is also answering the current challenge as well as a different DLGF directive issued Nov. 7. The assessor is required to submit a formal written response by Dec. 8 addressing "serious concerns" about the county's assessed property values.

Those concerns were raised when DLGF responded to a petition filed by Long Beach's Bill Wendt, who challenged the accuracy of the assessments. His charge was based findings by Robert Denne, an analyst hired by Wendt, indicating county property assessments for 2006 were faulty.

Responding to Wendt's challenge, McDaniel distributed a news release stating Wendt failed in his attempt to delay the approval of county tax rates. The DLGF issued its own press release countering McDaniel's claim.

The DLGF set a Dec. 8 date for a rebuttal by the county for Wendt's petition.

McDaniel has incurred expenses from Friedman's services, and entered into a contract with The Nexus Group, a consulting firm that does the bulk of the work of the assessor's office. On Monday, the county council approved a $50,000 request from McDaniel to pay for another consultant to reassess property values challenged by homeowners before the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals.

Musgrave was blunt in her needs and those of the DLGF.

"The end goal is to ensure that no Hoosier is paying more than their fair share of property taxes," Musgrave said in the statement. "That can only be accomplished when policymakers can make informed decisions based on complete, accurate data.
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Southsider2k12
post Nov 28 2007, 09:37 AM
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Wait a sec...

QUOTE
McDaniel has incurred expenses from Friedman's services, and entered into a contract with The Nexus Group, a consulting firm that does the bulk of the work of the assessor's office. On Monday, the county council approved a $50,000 request from McDaniel to pay for another consultant to reassess property values challenged by homeowners before the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals.


Then why are we paying an assessor if someone else is being paid to do the work???
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Roger Kaputnik
post Nov 28 2007, 12:28 PM
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That is not a new thing. I don't think anyone could do it all especially at what an assessor gets. Imagine that!

I would like to see one of these appeals: Are they available on-line? Or at public meetings?


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JHeath
post Nov 28 2007, 12:35 PM
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I'd like to know what she's doing, why she's spending so much money, and why she needs the outside help.
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Southsider2k12
post Nov 28 2007, 01:50 PM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=53553.58

QUOTE
Township Assessors
Governor Daniels Wants To Replace Them

Editorial

Gov. Mitch Daniels has proposed that all 1,008 elected township assessors in Indiana be replaced with 92 appointed assessors - one for each county.

And while that might be a popular suggestion at a time when Hoosiers are riled up over a botched reassessment, higher property taxes - and for some counties, late tax bills - rushing into something like that isn't a good idea.

Daniels has been big on consolidating and reducing the size of state government, but before making such a major change, it would be a good idea to thoroughly think the idea through.

Reading between the lines of Daniels' proposal, the real target isn't necessarily elected assessors, but township government. In a visit with The News-Dispatch Editorial Board over a year ago, Daniels said he believed township government was antiquated. By targeting assessors, that strikes at the heart of what township government does.

In many smaller townships, the township trustee doubles as the assessor. Removing the assessment duties from trustees would leave them with the responsibility of poor relief and fire protection.

Springfield Township Trustee and Assessor Howard Conley has held office for 29 years. He said he isn't opposed to combining the duties of assessors in some smaller townships, but doesn't want to eliminate all assessors.

He's especially concerned that if Daniels gets his way and eliminates township government, the excellent network of volunteer fire departments that serve the bulk of the state would disappear, too. Paid firefighters would be required, and Conley wonders who would pay to replace them with paid firefighters. That question must be answered before Daniels' proposal to eliminate any part of township government moves forward.

The Indiana Assessors Association has its own proposal aimed at making assessors more accountable. It would create 10 regions in the state with an appointed assessor overseeing each region with the responsibility of making sure assessments are done on time, professionally and fairly.

Ultimately, that's what everyone wants, but before charging into a wholesale overhaul of state government, let's make sure the change being made is the right one.

Our Opinion
The Issue: Should assessing at the township level be replaced with one assessor per county?

Our Opinion: Before any sweeping changes in township government are adopted, Indiana lawmakers must look at all the implications. Township trustees, for example, provide fire fighting in much of rural Indiana.
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Roger Kaputnik
post Nov 29 2007, 01:06 PM
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I am against just about ANYTHING the Gov thinks is a good idea. He has yet to come up with one.


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ChickenCityRoller
post Nov 29 2007, 08:27 PM
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QUOTE(JHeath @ Nov 28 2007, 12:35 PM) *

I'd like to know what she's doing, why she's spending so much money, and why she needs the outside help.


The outside help is getting outside help.


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JHeath
post Nov 30 2007, 09:52 AM
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QUOTE(ChickenCityRoller @ Nov 29 2007, 08:27 PM) *

The outside help is getting outside help.

Really? Interesting...fill us in.
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JHeath
post Nov 30 2007, 10:27 AM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=41484.75

QUOTE
11/30/2007 11:00:00 AM
Attorney Defends Assessor

Laurie Wink
The News-Dispatch

LA PORTE - La Porte County Attorney Shaw Friedman said the threat by state officials to pull certifications of 23 county assessors, including La Porte's Carol McDaniel, was a "massive over-reaction" to the state's reassessment problems.

The Department of Local Government Finance announced this week that 23 county assessors are delinquent in providing property data for 2007 taxes, payable in 2008. Unless those assessors provide the information by Dec. 10, the DLGF said it will consider penalizing the assessors.

Penalties include receiving a written reprimand, losing assessor credentials or having them suspended for one year, according to Cheryl Musgrave, DLGF commissioner.

Friedman said assessor Carol McDaniel has "jumped over every hoop placed in her way."

"She will certainly provide the 2007 pay 2008 assessment data by the Dec. 10 deadline," Friedman said. "But it's important that the public know she's working hard at this even with distractions like the Wendt lawsuits and has gotten approval from the state twice on our 2006 pay 2007 assessments."

Long Beach resident Bill Wendt has filed a lawsuit challenging the county's reassessment numbers.

The 2007 property data for 2008 tax bills were originally due Oct. 1 but the deadline was extended to Nov. 15. Musgrave said she wants to produce timely county-wide property tax bills for 2007 taxes payable in 2008.

Friedman defended McDaniel by saying the DLGF has "diverted and preoccupied Ms. McDaniel with yet a third review of the same 2006 payable 2007 data they had approved twice earlier this year."

DLGF's request for a written defense of the county's 2006 payable 2007 data, due Dec. 8, came after Wendt filed a petition with the DLGF claiming inaccuracies in the county-wide assessment data. His claim was based on analysis of county records by independent tax consultant Bob Denne, hired by Wendt.

Friedman claims Denne is using data identified as preliminary at the time it was given to Wendt.

Wendt filed a lawsuit against McDaniel in January to obtain county-wide property assessment records for 2006. Representing McDaniel in court, Friedman said the county would not provide Wendt with records containing sensitive information and needed to know precisely which records he wanted. The case has yet to be settled.

Friedman said the DLGF approved La Porte County's 2006 pay 2007 data first on March 16, and again on Sept. 6, when Musgrave did not ask for a reassessment of the county's property at the time when other counties, notably Marion County, were requested to conduct reassessments.

"Now the assessor is having to provide a hugely detailed response for the third time regarding 2006 pay 2007 assessments in response to yet another flawed study submitted by Mr. Wendt to the DLGF," Friedman said. "At some point, the DLGF needs to stick to its guns and not require further justification for work they have previously approved."

The DLGF announcement that La Porte County data for the next property tax year is past due raises questions about delivery of tax bills in 2008, according to Musgrave.

"Delinquent data is an indication that 2008 tax bills may not go out on time, and counties may have to borrow in 2008 to fund services to taxpayers," Musgrave said in her announcement.

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Southsider2k12
post Nov 30 2007, 01:21 PM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=51604.86

QUOTE
Our Opinion
The Issue: Too many things aren't going right in the La Porte County assessor's office.

Our Opinion: Assessor Carol McDaniel is not up to the challenge of carrying out the duties of this office, and she should step aside.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


County Assessor
Carol McDaniel Should Resign

Editorial

Too much is wrong in the way La Porte County Assessor Carol McDaniel is running the office, and she should resign.

Many share the blame for property tax mess that has hit Indiana. Attempts over the years to fix the system just seem to have compounded problems.

And while many counties are struggling, like La Porte County, to get their tax bills in the mail, McDaniel has made the situation worse.

The fact that a representative of the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance felt compelled to clarify McDaniel's statements about La Porte County's property tax assessment is very telling. McDaniel said "The DLGF has now twice confirmed that the underlying assessed values in La Porte County are accurate and uniform."

However, spokeswoman for DLGF Mary Jane Michalak disputed that, saying DLGF contacted county officials Nov. 7 to express "serious concerns about their assessed values."

And the agency says, if McDaniel doesn't provide delinquent data by Dec. 10, it could revoke her assessor certification.

This week, as our reporter sought to interview her about this, she declined and referred questions to a county attorney. As an elected officeholder, McDaniel shouldn't defer to anyone when it comes to discussing how she runs her office. Brushing off questions only raises more concerns, and if you can't talk about it, what are you hiding?

McDaniel also erred earlier this year when she decided residential property owners would not be mailed a Form 11 this year. The form tells property owners their new assessed valuation. McDaniel said she put that information on line instead to save money. But of all times to switch procedures and not mail the notices, this was not the year. Commercial and industrial property owners did get their notices by mail.

Then there are the assessment figures themselves. Many challenges have been filed, and critics contend that the assessed values vary wildly and are unfair. When so many complaints and challenges arise, it indicates that, starting in the office of county assessor, things aren't being run very well.

It's time for McDaniel to admit she was not up to the challenge and let someone else get the job done.

Too much is wrong in the way La Porte County Assessor Carol McDaniel is running the office, and she should resign.

Many share the blame for property tax mess that has hit Indiana. Attempts over the years to fix the system just seem to have compounded problems.

Many counties are struggling, like La Porte County, to get their tax bills in the mail, but McDaniel has made the situation worse with recent statements.

The fact that a representative of the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance felt compelled to clarify McDaniel's statements about La Porte County's property tax assessment is very telling. McDaniel said "The DLGF has now twice confirmed that the underlying assessed values in La Porte County are accurate and uniform."

However, spokeswoman for DLGF Mary Jane Michalak disputed that, saying DLGF contacted county officials Nov. 7 to express "serious concerns about their assessed values."

This week, as our reporter sought to interview her about the assessment issues, she declined and referred questions to a county attorney. As an elected officeholder, McDaniel shouldn't defer to anyone else when it comes to discussing how she runs her office. Brushing off questions only raises more concerns, and if you can't talk about it and have to hide behind a lawyer, what are you hiding?

McDaniel also made an error in judgment earlier this year when she decided residential property owners would not be mailed a Form 11 this year. The form tells property owners their new assessed valuation, something homeowners have been worried about throughout the long reassessment process. McDaniel said she put that information online instead to save money. But of all times to switch procedures and not mail the notices, this was not the year. Commercial and industrial property owners did get their notices by mail.

Then there are the assessment figures themselves. Many challenges have been filed, and critics contend that the assessed values vary wildly and are unfair. When so many complaints and challenges arise, it indicates that, starting in the office of county assessor, things aren't being run very well.

It's late in the process, but it's time for McDaniel to admit she was not up to the challenge, and pave the way for someone else to get the job done.

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Southsider2k12
post Nov 30 2007, 01:33 PM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=52393.46

QUOTE
McDaniel Owes County Explanation
Rick Richards
City Editor, The News-Dispatch


La Porte County voters had their chance and they blew it.

Now we're stuck with County Assessor Carol McDaniel for another three years. Here's hoping the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance follows through with its threat to yank her credentials if she doesn't clear up La Porte County's overdue tax assessment mess by Dec. 10.

The DLGF has threatened McDaniel and 22 other county assessors with loss of their assessing credentials and other possible penalties if delinquent tax data for 2008 tax bills isn't cleared up, according to DLGF Commissioner Cheryl Musgrave. That puts the ball squarely in McDaniel's court, but then she's been fumbling the reassessment ball for more than a year.

After all, this is the same Carol McDaniel, who right before the 2006 election, "misplaced" $601 of taxpayer money and had such shoddy record keeping that receipts for cash payments to her office from most of 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 couldn't be found. The missing $601 is only what could be documented from about the equivalent of one year of receipts that could be found from those years.

And where were those receipt books found? In a trash can at the La Porte County courthouse.

McDaniel couldn't explain the missing receipt books or how others wound up in the trash. That didn't matter, though because she found refuge in the Democratic Party when county attorney Robert Szilagyi - who wanted to be Circuit Court judge - brushed aside the missing money as a tempest in a teapot.

He said it "hardly qualifies as a scandal or impropriety."

If someone walks into my house and takes $601 it's a Class D felony punishable by six months to three years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Apparently that's not the case if you're an elected official.

No wonder rip-off artists who scam non-profits and small businesses in La Porte County can get away with their crime. If stealing $50,000 or $100,000 isn't worth the county's time to prosecute, well, you can understand why they won't prosecute one of their own for $601.

But the bigger issue is McDaniel's incompetence with property tax assessment. Her bungling is why no one in the county has a property tax bill yet - more than 10 months after the bills were supposed to be mailed.

The News-Dispatch has been trying to ask McDaniel why she hasn't gotten the numbers straightened out and taxpayers still don't have a tax bill.

Taxpayers have been asking, too, because they've called me tell me they've tried to get answers.

But McDaniel isn't talking to anyone except county attorney Shaw Friedman.

When a News-Dispatch reporter asked McDaniel if she could talk after Monday's County Council meeting, she declined, saying we would "have to ask Shaw."

When The News-Dispatch telephoned her on Tuesday and asked again, she didn't even bother to return the calls.

So when we reported that, we heard from Shaw, who complained that our reporting was making McDaniel look like she didn't want to talk.

No, we aren't. She's doing that all by herself.

If she wants to ignore reporters, fine. But she ought to be answering questions and talking to every taxpayer she sees. She owes them an explanation. After all, it's taxpayer who put her in office and McDaniel answers to them, not to Friedman or the Democratic Party.

McDaniel owes the entire county an explanation. Only this time, her answer can't be dismissed as hardly a "scandal or impropriety."
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JHeath
post Dec 3 2007, 10:56 AM
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http://www.heraldargus.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=43130.79

QUOTE
12/3/2007 10:44:00 AM

Property tax bills available for pickup


LA PORTE COUNTY - Printouts of property tax bills are now available at the La Porte County Treasurer's office at the La Porte Circuit Courthouse, 813 Lincoln Way, La Porte.

Although the bills will be mailed in two weeks, payments can be made "at any time," according to Chief Deputy Treasurer Mike Mauer.

Payments made before Jan. 1 can be credited to property owners' 2007 income tax returns.
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Southsider2k12
post Dec 4 2007, 08:44 AM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=34555.37

QUOTE
McDaniel Works For Tax Fairness
I expect Rick Richards will be blaming County Assessor Carol McDaniel for this recent cold snap before too long ["McDaniel owes county explanation," Friday]. For instance, why blame her for late tax bills when most counties in Indiana didn't send out tax bill before Nov. 1 this year because of hold-ups from the state? LaPorte County's tax bills will be going out in the next few days just like Porter and Lake County's bills went out this week.

He's also upset that Carol declined to talk to his reporter at Monday's County Council meeting, but he failed to mention that on matters of pending litigation we always urge our clients to refer inquiries to us.

The proof of the assessor's performance is in the pudding - we fully believe that because of the county and township assessors' efforts to bring in a top-flight consulting firm - the Nexus Group - that most homeowners won't see a massive spike in their property tax bills. Unlike the debacle in Marion County where most commercial and industrial properties showed no increase in assessments, Carol McDaniel and Nexus Group have worked to ensure that commercial and industrial properties pay their fair share so that average homeowners don't have to make up the difference.

And yes, she and her consultants have made sure that upscale residences in neighborhoods such as Lake Shore Drive - like the one that Bill Wendt lives in - are properly assessed at what the market determines is actual value. Furious over his own assessments, Wendt is underwriting various lawsuits to try to derail this county's approved assessments.

We will continue vigorously defending the actions of this county assessor and township assessors whose 2006 pay 2007 assessments have been approved twice this year by the state. Thanks to Mr. Wendt, we have been forced to provide yet another detailed defense of 2006 pay 2007 assessments, which was filed with the state on Wednesday, to respond to another of his flawed expert reports.

Fortunately, tax bills will be going out in the next few days to provide badly needed revenues for libraries, schools, the county and cities to provide needed services.

Rather than exhaust the appeal process available to any taxpayer wishing to appeal their assessment, Mr. Wendt is trying to force taxpayers to pay for an expensive new countywide reassessment and derail our entire tax collection process. We will oppose that effort even as the assessor seeks to finalize 2007 pay 2008 data and submits it to the state.

Shaw Friedman

LaPorte County Attorney
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Southsider2k12
post Dec 7 2007, 12:07 PM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=47507.28

QUOTE
Assessor Isn't Needed
Well, Mr. Friedman, you say "The proof of the assessor's performance is in the pudding." What pudding? She hired a "top-flight" consulting firm (at what cost?) to make the "pudding" for her. If you have to hire someone to do your job, then what good are you? You are not needed. Go figure.

Bettie Helton

Michigan City
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Roger Kaputnik
post Dec 7 2007, 12:55 PM
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Puddin-headed analysis if you ask me. But cute


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Southsider2k12
post Dec 11 2007, 10:43 AM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...&TM=42389.4

QUOTE
The Truth About Property Taxes

Dr. Vidya Kora

A lot has been written about property taxes recently. Lawsuits have been filed and the county assessor has been blamed and asked to step down without understanding the historical facts and the complexity of this issue.

As a result of a lawsuit filed in Lake County in the late 1990s the courts ruled that the old system of assessment based on replacement costs be scrapped and a new system based on market value and the current sales data should guide assessments. This system was implemented in 2002 based on the sales data from January 1999 and was readjusted four years later in 2006 based on the current sales data, and in the future it will be adjusted annually as opposed to every 10 years as was done prior to 1999.

Over the past 10 years, as home prices appreciated substantially, the market values especially in certain areas of La Porte County like the Long Beach area, more than doubled because the prices in these areas tend to be linked to the Chicago market. Mr. Wendt, upset with the dramatic increase in tax bills caused by a significant appreciation in assessed values, filed lawsuits against the county challenging the assessments. The lawsuits have contributed significantly to the delay in sending out the tax bills.

Being a property owner, I fully understand the pain of people whose taxes have gone up drastically. But when the courts and the state have mandated an assessment system based on current market value, the county assessor has no choice but to follow and implement those mandates. This system could have imperfections and if a taxpayer feels an assessment is not accurate, the taxpayer can appeal the assessment at several levels, starting with the township assessor. If taxpayers do not get satisfaction there, they can move up with their appeals to the county assessor, the Indiana Board of Tax Review and the state tax court.

The tax bills are to be mailed in the next few days. If taxpayers have concerns about their property taxes, they should take advantage of the appeals process and file an appeal within 45 days.

The county assessor, Carol McDaniel, did not create these problems. The problems were created by a changing system of assessment mandated by the courts and the state, changes in the procedures caused by the change in the leadership at Department of Local Government Finance and the lawsuits that were filed in LaPorte County. She is trying her best to solve these problems by assessing homes and commercial properties fairly based on current market value by hiring the best consultants and she is available to address any concerns the taxpayers might have.

Before taking the extreme step of asking her to step down in a recent editorial, The News Dispatch would have been better served if the editorial board had sat down with her and ascertained all the facts and understood the complex issues surrounding this problem instead of shooting first and asking questions later.

To expect the best from our elected officials is reasonable. But to pass judgment without knowing all the facts is regrettable.

Dr. Vidya Kora is La Porte County Democratic chairman.
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Ang
post Dec 11 2007, 10:56 AM
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Well, it's about time someone spoke up on this issue in a language we can all understand and by leaving out the petty condescention. While the property taxes make no difference to me personally, I applaud Dr. Kora for his rebuttal. It's nice to see someone with the guts to tell the public what is actually going on and how the process works and be nice about it.


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Roger Kaputnik
post Dec 11 2007, 12:02 PM
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I spoke to a real estate professional yesterday, and she noted that market values are higher, and therefore, taxes are higher. That is what I have been saying. She also said that Conner is an idiot, which is what I have been telling him. I do note that I paraphrase her words. Dr. Kora is "spot-on" in his remarks.


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