The Delaware County Commissioners spent Monday considering a new local tax to maintain and repair buildings in the county. But as IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, residents told the officials to live within their means and to stop raising taxes.
Audio Transcript
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Stephanie Wiechmann
Delaware County doesn't have what's called a cumulative capital development fund. But Commissioner Stephen Brand says 83 of Indiana's 92 counties do. Brand said once changes happen to taxes at the state level, the fund would be used to maintain and repair county buildings and, if needed, build something new.
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Stephen Brand
At full rate, it would bring in about .3 million a year. That's the estimate. That is less than what we use now out of our economic development income tax to fund to repair and maintain our buildings.
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Stephanie Wiechmann
But residents objected to a new tax at a time when many people's property tax assessments went up significantly. Like Sandy Hunter,
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Sandy Hunter
Like everyone else, my assessment went up on our house this year 0,000. My house is 22 years old.
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Stephanie Wiechmann
And like retired business owner Linda Michael.
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Linda Michael
My suggestion to you is learn to live within your budget. And I would be happy to help you with that because I know how to cut costs and unfortunately, you have to lay people off. You have to consolidate and you have to look at the reality of things.
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Stephanie Wiechmann
Commissioners then unanimously voted down the ordinance, striking creating the fund. Brand said they heard clearly from the public.
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Stephen Brand
They've given us our marching orders. They've told us to trim up our government.
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Stephanie Wiechmann
Because of tax changes made in a 2025 bill, Delaware County, like many counties, will lose millions of dollars in revenue from the state by 2028. The state Legislative Services Agency says the loss will be .3 million. I'm Stephanie Wiechmann in Muncie.
Delaware County doesn’t have what’s called a “cumulative capital development fund,” but commissioner Stephen Brand says 83 of Indiana’s 92 counties do. Brand said once changes happen to taxes at the state level, the fund would be used to maintain and repair county buildings, and if needed, build something new.
“At full rate, it would bring in about $1.3 million a year,” said Brand. “That’s the estimate. That is less than what we use now out of our economic development income tax to fund, to repair, and maintain our buildings.”
But residents objected to a new tax at a time when many people’s property tax assessments went up significantly, like Sandy Hunter.
“Like everyone else, my assessment went up on our house this year – $100,000. Our house is 22 years old,” she said in a public hearing on the proposed fund.
And like retired business owner Linda Michael.
“My suggestion to you is learn to live within your budget. And I would be happy to help you with that, because I know how to cut costs, and unfortunately, you have to lay people off, you have to consolidate, and you have to look at the reality of things.”
Commissioners then unanimously voted down the ordinance, striking creating the fund. Brand said they heard clearly from the public.
“They’ve given us our marching orders. They’ve told us to trim up our government.”
Because of tax changes made in a 2025 bill, Delaware County – like many counties – will lose millions of dollars in revenue from the state. By 2028, the state Legislative Services Agency says the loss will be $12.3 million. Delaware County opposed the bill before it passed.
Stephanie Wiechmann is our Managing Editor and “All Things Considered” Host. Contact her at slwiechmann@bsu.edu.
