INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — The two most populous counties in central Indiana on Monday reported more homeowners saw lower property tax bills this year, but many paid more.
This year is the first year for property tax bills following the implementation of the state’s new property tax law. Last spring, Gov. Mike Braun, a Republican, said the new law would mean lower property tax bills for most homeowners.
Numbers from Marion and Hamilton counties suggest this largely was the case, with some important caveats. Marion County Treasurer Barbara Lawrence, a Democrat, said a little more than 118,000 residential properties owed less than last year, while about 99,000 paid more. Last year, nearly 174,000 homeowners paid more in property taxes compared to the year before, while a little more than 41,000 paid less.
Lawrence said the new law overall has been a mixed bag, though homeowners paying less outnumber those paying more.
Hamilton County Assessor Todd Clevenger, a Republican, provided estimates for how the average homeowner’s tax liability changed in each of the county’s 23 taxing districts. In six of them, the average homeowner paid more. The smallest increase was $3.79 in Westfield, while the largest was $189.13 in Sheridan.
The rest of the districts saw tax liability drops that ranged from $4.32 in rural parts of Sheridan to $481.88 in Wayne Township. Both Clevenger and Lawrence said individual homeowners’ bills will vary because property taxes are based first and foremost on assessed valuation. Lawrence said assessed valuation depends above all on what your neighbors’ homes are selling for.
“Probably the single biggest factor in a tax bill is the assessed value, which is the value of your property,” she said. “It is impacted by what your neighbors’ homes are selling for and homes in the area in which you live, so a hot real estate market can impact your assessed value.”
The spring property tax payment deadline has now passed. The fall deadline is Nov. 10.
