Resolution 2025-05
A Resolution Opposing Proposed Changes to Residential and Business Personal Property Calculations
WHEREAS, state leaders and lawmakers have advocated for and proposed multiple pieces of legislation in the 2025 legislative session that will cut residential and business personal property bills for homeowners and businesses and change how these tax liabilities are calculated; and
WHEREAS, homeowners deserve affordable tax bills and adequate public services in exchange; and
WHEREAS, the proposals garnering the most attention would have an impact on municipal taxing units exceeding $1 billion; and
WHEREAS, a local income tax adoption option could be a helpful tool for some units; however, it is not at all adequate to replace the magnitude of what is being eliminated, making it a necessity rather than an option; and
WHEREAS, with an essentially mandated income tax increase being the only alternative proposed by lawmakers, the homeowners who these tax measures endeavor to assist will be among the same individuals paying the income tax, making businesses the only recipient of the tax cuts; and
WHEREAS, those individuals who do not own their own home would see a tax increase; and
WHEREAS, if the proposed measures are adopted, the Town of Churubusco will be forced to make significant cuts to public safety, street maintenance and repairs, and quality of life initiatives; and
WHEREAS, with the stress the measures being considered will put on the town budgets, bonding or saving money for new development will be nearly impossible, sending Indiana several steps back in our efforts to attract and retain a talented workforce; and
WHEREAS, these unprecedented cuts in government services are being proposed when, despite the success of Community Crossings, municipalities are imploring legislators to at least preserve the status quo in terms of road funding so as not to compound the well-documented, high percentage of Hoosier roads that continue to be in less than satisfactory condition; and
WHEREAS, as of this date, the statewide local impact of the primary tax-related bills is estimated to be $1.4 billion, a staggering figure, that would cause widespread negative effects, increase tax burdens on individuals, while offering even more relief to businesses in an already business tax-friendly state; and
WHEREAS, the impact to Churubusco of these significant real property and business personal property tax cuts, as well as changes to how property taxes are calculated, the town would lose an estimated $186,000 in tax revenues over the next three years; and
WHEREAS, eliminating funding on top of the Town of Churubusco’s loss of $ $186,000 in annual losses to local government units associated with constitutional property tax caps,
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved by the Town Council of the Town of Churubusco, Whitley County, Indiana that we oppose any tax policy that impacts local units of government that does not come with a corresponding replacement revenue stream implemented by the State of Indiana and does no harm to our ability to carry out the expectations of Hoosiers now and into the future.
PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF CHURUBUSCO, WHITLEY COUNTY, INDIANA, THIS ______ DAY OF _______________, 2025.
