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November 2008 |
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County’s losses not as great as feared |
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Thursday, April 10 2008 |
By TJ HEMLINGER
Staff writer
Two of Whitley County’s state legislators, Sen. Gary “Doc” Dillon, R-Pierceton, and Rep. Dan Leonard, R-Huntington, gave the Whitley County Council some moderately good news Tuesday morning, telling it the financial impact from the state’s efforts to cap property taxes will not cost the county as much money as feared.
Leonard gave the council figures that showed the county will lose only $15,733 toward its 2009 budget and $79,747 in 2010. The 2009 figure is just 0.6 percent of the county’s budget, and the 2010 calculation shows a 1.6 percent impact.
Gov. Mitch Daniels signed a bill that caps property taxes at 1 percent of assessed valuation on homes, at 2 percent on rental properties and at 3 percent on businesses.
To offset the loss in property tax revenue, the state increased the sales tax by one cent to 7 percent.
“There are portions of the bill that I don’t like,” Leonard admitted. “It started with the governor’s proposal to reduce property taxes. It also took over the balance of the schools’ general funds.”
Fifteen percent of the school budget came from the county, with the state picking up the other 85 percent. The state now also assumes the responsibility for child welfare and school transportation funds.
That left the state about $140 million short, Leonard said, necessitating the hike in the sales tax.
“Other levies are coming off the tax rolls,” Leonard said. “There will be a reduction in revenue for some local governments, but Whitley County is not losing any revenue this year.”
Hardest hit among the county’s taxing districts will be the Whitley Community School Corp., which will lose 5.2 percent of its tax revenue, or $133,890, in 2010.
South Whitley will lose 8.2 percent of its revenue, or $23,627 in 2009, while Columbia City will lose $69,196, or 3.1 percent.
The South Whitley public library will lose $18,147, which is 5.0 percent of its tax revenue from the state.
“If we can take a levy off the tax roll, it prevents it from growing back,” Leonard said. “The county council will be responsible for property taxes because that’s the way it will fund the county.”
Councilman Scott Darley, pleased with the figures for the next two years, said, “We can live with that.”
Leonard said, “Whitley County is very, very fortunate. Huntington County is losing $500,000. They have been relatively lackluster in economic development, while Whitley County has been very aggressive.”
Council president Tom Western added, “And fortunate.”
Huntington County’s assessed valuation has “gone away,” Leonard said, and the loss in assessed valuation shifts over to homeowners. The assessed valuation per capita is $46,500 in Whitley County and only $38,000 in Huntington County, so the same levy would raise more money locally.
Whitley County also is more frugal with its spending, with a per capita spending average of $22,000, while the state average is $28,000.
“Pretty much across the board Whitley County has been doing pretty well,” Leonard said.
Darley said, “I’m pleasantly surprised.”
Leonard noted that the bill that capped property taxes was meant to be revenue-neutral across the state.
“It’s not a tax bill, it’s a tax shift,” he said.
Darley said, “I think the bill served its purpose.”
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Last Updated ( Monday, April 14 2008 )
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 |  |  |  |  | | My Mom (Elly Crawford) would always make this Cranberry
Salad, to die for. The year she passed away I had tried my mother-in-laws and others
but never the same as my Mom's. A year had went by and I had Looked and Looked for
her recipe in her old fashion Tin recipe box. Could not find it. I thought, wow was
this like her Famous Potato Salad, In her head and never wrote down. Silly I know
But as I searched thru her tin recipe box again, I made sure I put each hand wrote
card back where she had kept it. I wanted to make sure it was Just like my mom had
always had it and left it. I kept look one at a time, And low and behold stuck
between two cards was the recipe, I sat and held it as the tears ran down my face. I
had found it and was finally going to have Mom's Cranberry Salad. I called My Dad,
Cecil and said over 20 times, " Dad I found it Dad I found it!" I then prayed and
ask Mom, OK come on help me make this just like you did. And I guess Mom heard
me cause the 2nd and 3rd Thanksgiving without my Mom I had "Mom's Cranberry
Salad" and I will again this year and years to come. Thanks Mom I love you- Sheryl
xoxo P.S. You ask? Well share this recipe.... Umm, I
think NOT, Took me to long to find it. - Sheryl Hackett (Churubusco, IN) My late grandmother, Margarette Ruthsatz always made
scalloped oysters for the holidays. The recipe would be similar to scalloped corn
but instead of corn,oysters.We always hoped for left-overs and often would sneak it
cold from the fridge! Someone brings this dish every year. - Pam Sorg (Columbia City, IN) I love Thanksgiving. All my family get together at my mom and
dad's. My daughters and I usually go early to help Mom get the dinner ready, but she
does most of it. We eat about one and are all stuffed. After clean up we wait for
the paper so my sister and I can scope out all the sales for the next day which we
call Jackie and Laura's Big Adventure. It is the one day that we just spend time
together and are amused with all the shoppers going crazy for that perfect Christmas
gift. - Jackie White (Columbia City, IN) My mother-in-law, the late Mildred Weeks, gave me this recipe
and it is the only salad I fix for Thanksgiving and I am willing to share.
CRANBERRY SALAD1 lb package cranberry's (I freeze them and
then grind them)2 medium size oranges1 cup sugar1 package red
jello2 red apples diced small1 cup chopped nuts1 cup celery diced
smallGrind cranberry's and oranges;add sugar (let set overnight) okay if not.
Add apples, celery, jello and nuts.
- Rowena Weeks (Ridgecrest, California)
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