Staff Reports
Notices of assessment values (Form 11s) for Bartholomew County taxpayers are going in the mail on Friday, said Bartholomew County Assessor Ginny Whipple.
These notices are mailed every year to property owners to inform them of the new assessed values on which they will be paying taxes in 2020. The assessed value on the Form 11 is the starting point for calculating annual property tax payments. The actual tax bill is calculated using the tax rate set by the Bartholomew County Council later in the year, Whipple said.
“Every spring, we send notices to taxpayers so they know whether their values are increasing or decreasing,” Whipple said.
These increases or decreases can be caused by changes to the property such as new construction, remodeling or demolition of buildings, or by fluctuations in the market. “Over the past several years, we have seen slight increases in residential property due to increased sale prices. This year some areas are seeing higher increases as well,” she said.
By state guidelines, the assessor’s office must adhere to certain statistical standards for all classes of property. This is done through annual adjustments or “trending” which is a process in which assessments are compared to sales. When the assessments are below the sales, values are increased, or if assessments are above sales, values decrease.
“It is a complicated process, but the bottom line is the value of the property,” Whipple explained. “The property should be near market value.” By using use mass appraisal techniques, some properties will be above or below, she said. State guidelines call for an appeals process and deadline for filing an appeal is June 17.
Taxpayers with questions about an assessment should contact the Assessor’s office for an appointment to discuss the issues. The office is in the County Government Office Building, 440 Third St.
Whipple may be contacted by calling 812-379-1505 or by email at [email protected].
More information about Form 11s and the valuation and/or appeal process can be found on the Department of Local Government website at in.gov/dlgf/2516.htm.
