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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowHamilton County residents will see their county income taxes increase by 10 percent beginning next year to help fund 911 operations, now that leaders of several cities in the county have approved the hike.
Governing councils representing only 50 percent of the county’s population needed to approve the tax increase in order for it to take effect county-wide.
The town of Arcadia passed the increase first. Fishers and Westfield followed, with Noblesville City Council unanimously approving the increase at a meeting Tuesday night.
The four councils represent 59.25 percent of the county’s population.
The county’s current local income tax is 1 percent. The 10 percent increase will raise the tax to 1.1 percent and would generate $16 million in funding for the county’s 911 operations.
For a resident earning $100,000, the hike would cost an additional $100 a year.
For years, the county and four cities—Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville and Westfield—have largely funded 911 services for the entire county, including its four towns through interlocal agreements. But last year, the cities renegotiated those agreements with the county, leaving the small towns—Atlanta, Cicero, Sheridan and Arcadia—on the hook for expenses they previously never had to budget for.
At that time, leaders began discussing an income tax increase to fund 911 operations, which run about $11 million a year.
The additional funding would go toward capital projects, including a new dispatch center.
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Here comes another flood of Nextdoor posts…
I know I look forward to paying more taxes next year. Thank you. Let’s see more income tax, real estate taxes increasing with school referendum (cant wait to all those who voted for the referendum feel squeezed by this premium— I didn’t think it was going to be that much!). Increased assessment value also bumping up real estate tax and the increase in fuel tax funding all the road projects except Hamilton County. Oh don’t forget the county board tax increase they had friends and family that had to be rewarded.
Ray, your point about the new and different ways we are taxed adding up up is well taken. I don’t believe one has ever been voted or turned down and it frustrates me that anytime an increase for schools is asked for the voters always say yes. Hamilton county is still an affordable and wonderful place to live and I’m not disputing the merits of the 911 tax, but rather the overall effect of new and accumulating taxes over the next 5-10 years. It’s going to hurt and I would hate to be forced to move because I can no longer afford to live here. I understand the need for services and keeping the infrastructure up to date, but maybe we should start being a little more picky on where we spend it and say no once in a while to keep the county affordable for us average wage earners.
How is the county spending the additional $5mm of funding?
Unwisely, of course. Death by a thousand increases.
Hamilton county residents: welcome to the real world. You gloried in the growth of the larger cities and towns, apparently never thinking someone would have to pay for infrastructure. The rural areas and small towns freeloaded off the big four for taxes to fund public safety and other infrastructure. Is that a piper I hear? The roads are crumbling just as in Marion County. You need a larger courthouse to house your expanded government. Schools need to expand. This was all fun as the growth triggered higher real estate values and you suddenly were wealthier on paper. Now you get to pay for all of it. Have fun.
Using numbers in the article and numbers available online, and assuming (uh-oh!) they are reasonably accurate, reveals that the 911 system costs about $32 per resident per year. That apparently doesn’t include the costs of operating either the police or fire departments; am I the only one that thinks that number sounds a little on the high side? Plus, my cell phone bill also shows that I pay $1 per month per line ($48/year) for 911 service; again, the collections for 911 service appear to be on the high side.
Yes another win for my man Scotty Fadness! We will be feasting on pizza tonight from one of the fine pizzeria’s Scotty has brought to Fishers!