Dave Bond of STOPIndiana.com has strong words for our lawless, thieving, legislators

We received the message below from Dave Bond of StopIndiana.com in regard to the failure of the reassessment, the costs of administrating property tax, the treatment of the assessors by the state government, the failure of the state of Indiana to honor its own Constitution, and the declining value of real estate, in part, because of excessive taxation and government inaccountability. It is time to fire our representatives this November. --HFFT

Real estate professionals, as well as members of the general assembly and public officials at all levels of state and local government, have confirmed the negative impact of property taxes on property values.

Skyrocketing property tax increases, some exceeding 500%, reduce the disposable, qualifying income of buyers and owners alike, overnight; thereby, diminishing their purchasing power and price support or selling prices, prior to any such confiscatory increases.

As in 2003, Hoosiers knew in 2007 after they received unconscionable tax increases, that the market for their property had immediately declined.

Value is directly related to the cost of ownership. Generally speaking, property taxes burden the cost of ownership, and therefore have a negative impact on value. Each dollar of tax increase eliminates a dollar that could be spent on maintenance or improvements, at the rightful discretion of the OWNER. This isn't mere trending, this is SOCIALISM, and its destruction goes far beyond material value; by first eroding moral value.

Let's be clear for a moment on what market value is, a factual sale or purchase transaction; vs. a market opinion such as an appraisal or assessment. Market value is a present tense concept, where two-year old opinions about value are just that and not themselves market value.

The state's unfounded claims on private property, in the form of an "unspecified lien," is by definition a contradiction in terms and unconstitutional, the purpose of law being clarity. Further, the state's use of the term market value is likewise misapplied and inaccurate.

The assessment system will always be, a subjective notion, an opinion, by a party (government) whose only interest is to fund its gluttonous expense account rather than a budget reconciled to available or collected revenue.

Article 8 Section 2 of the Indiana State Constitution, specifically provides for the common school fund with a tax on the property of corporations, among other named taxes, not a tax on private property for such purposes; public schools being half of many taxpayers bills.

On several occasions during the past year, Becky Williams, President of the Assessor's Association, was routinely ignored, when she informed the state that Marion County's reassessment (done by an independent contractor, at an additional cost to Indiana taxpayers of ~ $1.8M), was improperly done and fraught with errors that would likely contribute to a record number of taxpayer appeals. Here come the appeals.

The assessment system is subjectively based on opinions which affect the value of what is supposed to be your property and disposable income. To protect your property's value and disposable income, it is imperative that you review your property tax bill along with your assessment record (at the township assessor's office) for errors in value, missing credits, or incorrect data (an extra story or finished floor on your home, nonexistent features on your business property, etc.).

State statute provides 45 days from receipt to file your appeal. The first batch of bills in Marion County were dated and sent on June 3rd. Assuming you've misplaced your envelope with a later postmark, my count would place your deadline on / before July 17th (45 days from June 3), to file your appeal with the COUNTY Assessor, who has indicated in writing to Property Tax Appraiser, John Johantges, that the deadline is July 25th, however this later date, may not for many taxpayers, comply with the statute.

Please find the following suggestions below from Mr. Johantges for filing your appeals.

Yours in Repeal- Dave Bond
Stop Taxing Our Property
StopIndiana.com