INDIANAPOLIS—The Indiana Senate unanimously approved a measure on Monday sponsored by State Senator Jim Arnold (D-LaPorte) to provide LaPorte residents with a process for minimizing property tax debt.
“LaPorte has faced extremely adverse circumstances with property tax collection for many years,” Sen. Arnold said. “This bill will protect our Hoosier taxpayers and offer them an opportunity to decrease their financial burdens.”
House Bill (HB) 1261 would allow eligible LaPorte County homeowners to receive deductions in delayed property taxes for all assessment dates rather than a current assessment date. Current homeowners would qualify for the tax deductions if they lived on the property during the year of the delayed assessment date or did not qualify for a similar property deduction in another county for the same date.
The measure would authorize the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance to delay payments for the March 1, 2011 or January 15, 2013 assessment dates. In addition, payments could either be made in equal installments for at least six months or in one payment at the end of six months. Certain policies would apply to delayed property taxes, such as allowing payments through credit or debit card, exemptions from sales tax for one year, and two percent discounts for payments made within 30 days.
HB 1261 also provides that these claims be specified in a tax statement.
After unanimously passing out of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and the full Senate by a vote of 47-0, HB 1261 will now return to the House of Representatives where the author of the bill will have the opportunity to consider changes made in the Senate.
Sen. Arnold represents District 8 in the Indiana State Senate which encompasses the majority of LaPorte County including the City of LaPorte and the eastern part of Michigan City. It also includes western St. Joseph County and Davis, Oregon, Washington, Center and Jackson townships in Starke County.
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