A setback at the state’s highest court has not deterred county officials from continuing to fight an ongoing tax assessment battle with CVS Health Corp.
Monroe County Assessor Judy Sharp said she is hoping for clarity and closure on the matter, which has been unfolding for years. She feels that only will come from the Indiana Supreme Court.
Last week, attorneys for the county filed a notice to petition the Indiana Supreme Court to consider the East Third Street CVS store appeal case. In May, the Indiana Tax Court affirmed a lower tax board’s ruling that would lower the property tax assessments for multiple years at the CVS store located at 2701 E. Third St., which had appealed assessments from 2007 to 2013. The county is looking at an estimated $129,000 refund to CVS if that judgment is upheld.
It will be the second Bloomington CVS store case the county has sent to the Indiana Supreme Court after the tax court ruled in favor of the nationwide pharmacy chain. In a 2-2 vote last month, the state’s highest court rejected a request to hear the other Bloomington case, involving the North College Avenue CVS store.
As part of that case, CVS appealed assessments for 2009 to 2013. The Indiana Board of Tax Review sided with CVS and ordered a lowering of property tax assessments for multiple years at the store. For example, the tax board ordered the total assessment for 2009 to be reduced from $3.9 million to $2.4 million for the store. If that ruling is upheld, it could mean the county has to pay a refund projected to be more than $150,000.
“I was rather disillusioned when they didn’t take it,” Sharp said about the state Supreme Court deciding not to hear the case.