By Andy Grimm, Post-Tribune
agrimm@post-trib.com
CROWN POINT-- State officials have threatened to take over key assessing duties from Calumet Township Assessor Booker Blumenberg, claiming late and substandard work by Blumenberg's office could delay tax bills for all of Lake County.
Department of Local Government Finance Director Tim Rushenberg on Dec. 31 sent a letter to Blumenberg, stating that figures on property values submitted by Calumet Township didn't meet state standards, the second time the state has taken issue with the accuracy of Blumenberg's work.
At issue is a "ratio study" of property values, which compares the assessed values set by Blumenberg to sales prices reported in the last year, a key value for the new trending-based system of tax assessing.
"It's not unusual to ask an assessor to revise work they've done ... but this has gone on for months," said DLGF spokeswoman Mary Jane Michalak, noting the state sent a similar letter questioning the Calumet Township ratio study results in November.
"We're at the point now where Lake County is in danger of not being able to send out tax bills on time because of Calumet Township."
Blumenberg on Wednesday declined comment. In a response to the critical November letter from the DLGF, Blumenberg said the state contractors hired to do the initial trending analysis were to blame for inaccuracies of Calumet assessments.
Daniels led a referendum drive to eliminate township government and move township assessors' duties to the counties, and Blumenberg said he believes his vocal opposition to massive tax breaks for U.S. Steel and other industrial taxpayers have made him a special target.
Michalak said the DLGF has set a goal of having every county mail tax bills on the usual May and November schedule required by state law. Changes to the property tax system have caused delays in counties across the state, but 70 of the state's 92 counties are expected to mail bills on time.
The DLGF took over assessing duties in Porter and LaPorte counties this year because of delays in tax billing, Michalak said. They did not move on Calumet Township because they were not aware of problems with assessments there until Lake County filed its ratio studies report after the deadline in October.