It looks like the city of Bloomington, along with all the other governmental units in Monroe County, will see a significant extra infusion of revenue at the start of May.
The total amount of additional revenue to be injected into local coffers, across all local government units in Monroe County, is about $14.3 million.
That’s based on calculations from Indiana’s State Budget Agency (SBA).
The final lineup of local candidates is still not set for the Nov. 8 general election. But after some ballot vacancies got filled over last weekend, Monroe County now has four more contested races.
The four newly contested races are all for positions on the township level of government—either township board or township trustee.
The trustee is the executive. The township board is a three-member governing body, which has seats that are elected on an at-large basis for the geographic area of the township. A key responsibility of township government is to help the less fortunate cover basics like housing, utility bills, food, clothing and medical expenses—subject to eligibility requirements.
On a map, the townships show up as a roughly 4-by-3 grid laid over the county, except that Benton Township, in the northeast corner, reflects the historical merger of two townships. That means Monroe County has 11 townships, not a full dozen.
Benton Township is also where two of the newly contested races have now emerged—after the respective county chairs filled some of the ballot vacancies.
On Wednesday, Bloomington’s city council could take a final vote that would enact an increase to the local income tax (LIT) that is paid by all residents of Monroe County, whether they live inside the city limits or not.
This article looks at the impact of enacting an additional 0.855 points in the certified shares (green) category of local income tax, instead of enacting the increase in the economic development category (lilac).
Bloomington mayor John Hamilton has proposed an increase of 0.855 points, which would make the total rate 2.2 percent. For county residents who pay the tax, it would mean an extra $85 dollars paid on every $10,000 of taxable income.
At the city council’s Wednesday night corral, there’s the possibility of some political horse trading, based on the amount of increase to the rate. The horse trading could even lead to a delay in the final vote for at least another week.
At-large council representative Matt Flaherty said at last week’s meeting he would support the rate as proposed by the mayor. But he added, “In working to meet my colleagues somewhere in the middle, at the very least, I think I can come down to 0.65, and find a balance of what I think is most essential.”
The balance to be struck in the package proposed by Hamilton is between public safety and essential services on the one hand, and climate change mitigation and quality of life on the other.
The focus of the council’s consideration now appears to be just the rate, and how much revenue it would mean for the city of Bloomington.
I think it’s wrong to make that the sole focus of deliberations.
At its regular meeting on Wednesday, Monroe County commissioners approved a reconfiguration and an extension into next year, of a program under which it has already approved distribution of $238,880 to businesses or social service agencies and $85,713 to other taxing units. The distributions were for reimbursements related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Wednesday, commissioners also got an update from township trustees on the status of a $200,000 allocation that has been made to the county’s townships, to help with the amount of township assistance that is being requested by residents for help in paying for rent, utilities and food. Requests have increased because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The township assistance grant is being allocated to the Monroe County Trustees Association in $25,000 increments, based on how much assistance is needed.
At Wednesday’s meeting, Washington Township trustee Barb Ooley told commissioners that out of the first $50,000, all but $73.10 of assistance had been awarded to residents. During the meeting, Ooley made arrangements with commissioners administrator Angie Purdie for the next installment, because the need between now and the end of the year is expected to be critical.
At its meeting last Wednesday (Sept. 30), Monroe County commissioners approved a resolution that sets out the process for Washington Township to join the Monroe Fire Protection District (MFPD).
If Washington Township is approved as a member, that would eventually make seven out of 11 Townships that are a part of the MFPD. It would mean nine out of 11 townships get fire protection from MFPD, either as members or through contract.
This year Benton Township was already approved for joining the district in 2022, the same year Washington Township would become a member.
A recently announced three-year $3.8 million federal grant that was awarded to MFPD won’t reduce the property tax rate that member township residents pay. But it will provide immediate funding for 14 additional firefighters and reduce the amount of cash reserves that need to be tapped in 2022, according to MFPD chief Dustin Dillard.
Cash reserves will need to be used, because of the lag in timing for additional contributions of property tax and local income tax by new member townships. There’s a six-month delay before the first infusion of property taxes to the district from new member townships. And the property tax footprint from new township members that goes into the local income tax distribution formula is not factored into the mix until a year later, because the footprint is based on the previous year’s levy. Continue reading “Washington Township starts process to join fire district, would make 7 out of 11 member townships in Monroe County”→
