FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Property Taxes Down in Vanderburgh County (STATEHOUSE) May 13, 2008 - Vanderburgh County is the first county to send out property tax bills, and we are already seeing dramatic results. On the average, across the state, Hoosier homeowners owners will see a 30-percent decrease in their property tax bills. "Last summer, property-tax payers here in Vanderburgh County and throughout the state demanded property tax relief," said Rep. Suzanne Crouch (R-Evansville). "I promised I would take a stand and do something to bring property taxes down. "Today, I am pleased to announce that property tax bills in Vanderburgh Co. are down as a result of the governor's property tax plan, which I supported, along with a majority of the General Assembly. The state took mandated programs off the backs of local property-tax payers, limits government spending and provides immediate relief, giving Hoosiers the relief they deserve." To view property tax bills, go to http://www.vanderburghgov.org/. Then click on "Tax Billing Database" in the right-hand column and type in a name or address to view the tax bill. These are highlights of the property tax plan: Help for Hoosier homeowners. · Homeowners will see $620 million in immediate relief for 2008. · $1 billion has been removed from property tax levies. · Voters are empowered to control local or allow spending through referenda. · $140 million of property tax relief is planned for 2009, and $80 million of property tax relief in 2010. Help for all Hoosier property-tax payers. · The plan cuts now and forwards the process to cap property taxes forever through a constitutional guarantee of permanent caps of 1 percent of assessed value for homesteads, 2 percent for rental and agricultural properties and 3 percent for all others. · The plan includes an overall decrease in taxes for many low-income taxpayers through renters' deductions, caps for low-income senior-citizen homeowners and earned-income credits. · The plan closes loopholes that allowed more government spending. Help for local governments. · At the county level, the costs of four child-welfare levies, juvenile incarceration and health care for the indigent are removed from property taxes. The state picks up these costs. · At the municipal level, it removes from property taxes the remaining pre-1977 police and fire pensions, and it includes support for police and fire services. These costs are covered by the state. Help for Hoosier schools. · The plan removes school operations and special education preschool costs from property taxes. The state will pick up these costs. · It also includes $120 million in circuit-breaker relief and increases the tuition reserve fund money to $400 million.
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