by

Fred Swift

Hamilton County Reporter

Here is some good news for most Hamilton County property taxpayers. The county auditor’s office has released tax rates that are slightly lower this year than last.

Despite increased budgets in most taxing units, rates are down a little thanks to the expanding tax base that includes vast amounts of new construction and a trending upwards in assessments of some existing properties.

“Trending” is a term used by assessors which is designed to reflect increased value of existing properties. This process can cause an individual taxpayer to get a slightly higher tax bill even if his or her taxing unit has a slightly lower tax rate.

But, overall in 14 of the county’s 17 municipalities and unincorporated township areas, taxes are going down, slightly as they may be. The largest decrease in rates are found in Washington Township outside Westfield, down 8.65 percent. The smallest decrease is found in Delaware Township at 0.89 of a percent.

In only three taxing units are rates up. In Arcadia the rate is up 1.28 percent due largely to a shrinking tax base. In Carmel the rate is up just short of 1 percent largely due to an approved school referendum. And, in Fishers there is a tiny 0.13 of 1 percent increase.

So, after the increases and decreases, Sheridan residents will pay the county’s highest tax rate at $3.19 per hundred dollars of assessed value. That is more than 1 percent lower than last year. Unincorporated White River Township will pay the lowest rate at $1.50 per hundred, down nearly 2 percent.

Deputy Auditor Lee Graham prepared the information showing increases and decreases in rates this year. She also created a full matrix of this year’s rates showing the tax rates for corporate, school, township, library and county rates, which together creates the total tax rate.

This breakdown appears in a legal notice in this week’s print edition of the Hamilton County Reporter.