Monroe County OKs study to examine fiscal impact of Bloomington annexation

County attorney Jeff Cockerill said the study is expected to take three to four weeks.

The proposed areas intended for annexation would expand the city of Bloomington’s corporate boundaries by incorporating 9,848 acres in seven areas both outside and within existing city limits.

County Commissioner Julie Thomas said understanding the impact of the annexation plan is an urgent priority, and that is why the commissioners are hoping to gather additional information through this study.

“It has been a game of catch-up for us,” Thomas said. “We are all scrambling.”

Information the county hopes to receive from the study includes estimated revenue lost to the county, townships, school corporations, fire territories and fire districts; a review of assumptions and estimates of the accompanying fiscal plan the city has released; and the estimated effect of implementing a food and beverage tax as an alternative way to generate revenue.

Thomas said it was important to include the townships in this fiscal impact study because those areas affected do not have the budget to do such an analysis on their own.