Post-Tribune
The recent responses to problems with Indiana's property tax system resemble something out of a Three Stooges skit. Everyone's talking, but no one seems to be listening.
Or perhaps a better description is that Gov. Mitch Daniels and state legislators are trying to close an open wound with a box of Band-Aids.
It's time to call in the surgeons.
What we do know is, the property tax bills that will come due later this year are going to be higher for most -- possibly as much as a 30 percent increase.
The anticipated increases are due largely to "trending" -- an upgrade of assessed valuation ordered by the General Assembly.
Although that is expected to result in an increase in property taxes, the compilation of the trending data has been slow, meaning tax bills will be mailed late this year. That delay, which comes on the heels of similar delays the last two years, means local government units will have to borrow money to stay afloat until the tax draw arrives. That's punitive to those already paying property taxes.
Because the trending will unfairly affect property owners, taxpayers are in line for rebates down the line. That's no way to run a property tax system.
Now, the governor is giving counties two additional months to decide whether to impose an income tax to offset the impact of property taxes. That delay is welcome only if the state can do something in the interim to lessen the need for an income tax.
In the meantime, bankruptcy filings continue to soar, and more people are losing their homes. And the future doesn't appear to be any brighter, given the gloom and doom over property taxes.
The governor has little choice other than to call legislators into special session to fulfill their elected duties -- serving the people.