Legislators comment on South Bend, St. Joseph county local income tax hike

JEFF PARROTT, South Bend Tribune Staff Writer

jparrott@sbtinfo.com

SOUTH BEND - As city and St. Joseph County leaders pushed their local income tax hike last week, their message was consistent.

With the severe recession, they realized it was a tough time to increase anyone's taxes, but doing so was the only way to avoid deep cuts to public safety and other needed services. The General Assembly left them no choice when it enacted massive property tax cuts last year.

As a result of the income tax hike, which nearly doubled the county's income tax rate, some higher-earning homeowners actually will see their overall tax burden grow from what it was before the property tax cuts