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Property
taxes should be on time
Wanda
English Burnett
Staff Writer
A recent announcement from the Department of Local Government
Finance (DLGF) noted that Ripley Countys 2010 budget order
and tax rates have been certified.
This means bills for property taxes should be on time for the
first time in at least three years. The DLGF noted that the budget
certification came 118 days sooner than last year - allowing the
county to be in a position to actually have the due date for taxes
to be May 10 - a date taxpayers used to count on.
The entire property tax system relies on many different
parts to run smoothly, Timothy J. Rushenberg, DLGF commissioner,
noted. He said teamwork and communication among everyone involved
is the reason the property tax bills should actually be mailed
out on time.
A lot goes into the process of the final billing property taxpayers
receive.
The first step to the tax billing process is the completion of
the property assessments. This is completed with the submission
of a ratio study, which is a comparison between property sales
prices and assessed values in the county. The process is to ensure
that market values are being used to determine assessed values.
Information from the DLGF noted that Ripley County Assessor Shawna
Bushhorn had submitted the 2010 ratio study on August 18, 2009.
This completes one step of the process.
Then, when the DLGF approves the ratio study, the assessor sends
the gross assessed values to the countys auditor. This is
where exemptions, deductions or abatements are applied, determining
the net assessed values - the values which tax rates are based
on. Then Ripley County Auditor Mary Ann McCoy submitted certified
net assessed values on November 24, 2009.
This completed phase two.
The certification of the 2010 budget has been completed by the
DGLF and is now back to the county. The new auditor, Bill Wagner,
will calculate tax bills, which should be mailed by the county
treasurers office no later than April 23, 2010.
While Wagner just took office January 1 and is new to the process
in the auditors office, he felt confident they would be
able to work within the time frame of getting the taxes out by
the due date. Everything is on schedule now, he told
The Versailles Republican on the second day of February. He said
they are waiting for a rate from the state to figure the homestead
credits, but felt they would be able to get the job done.
The smooth process is only made possible with every piece of the
puzzle coming together, and this year it seems to be coming together
nicely, according to officials.
Taxpayers interested in estimating their property tax bill can
use the DLGFs online property tax calculator at http://www.in.gov/dlgf/2554.htm.
Taxpayers will need to know their propertys assessed value,
deductions, and taxing district to use the tool. The estimates
provided are only projections and should not be taken as a statement
of true tax liability, according to DLGF officials.
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