2023 Indiana Code › Title 36. Local Government › Article 1.5. Government Modernization › Chapter 4. Reorganization by Referendum › 36-1.5-4-18. Preparation of Reorganization Plan; Required Elements

Sec. 18. (a) A reorganization committee (before January 1, 2014) or the legislative bodies of the reorganizing political subdivisions (after December 31, 2013) shall prepare a comprehensive plan of reorganization for the reorganizing political subdivisions. The plan of reorganization governs the actions, duties, and powers of the reorganized political subdivision that are not specified by law.
(b) The plan of reorganization must include at least the following:
(1) The name and a description of the reorganized political subdivision that will succeed the reorganizing political subdivisions.
(2) A description of the boundaries of the reorganized political subdivision.
(3) Subject to section 40 of this chapter, a description of the taxing areas in which taxes to retire obligations of the reorganizing political subdivisions will be imposed.
(4) A description of the membership of the legislative body, fiscal body, and executive of the reorganized political subdivision, a description of the election districts or appointment districts from which officers will be elected or appointed, and the manner in which the membership of each elected or appointed office will be elected or appointed.
(5) A description of the services to be offered by the reorganized political subdivision and the service areas in which the services will be offered.
(6) The disposition of the personnel, the agreements, the assets, and, subject to section 40 of this chapter, the liabilities of the reorganizing political subdivisions, including the terms and conditions upon which the transfer of property and personnel will be achieved.
(7) Any other matter that the:
(A) reorganization committee (before January 1, 2014) determines or the legislative bodies of the reorganizing political subdivisions (after December 31, 2013) determine to be necessary or appropriate; or
(B) legislative bodies of the reorganizing political subdivisions require the reorganization committee (before January 1, 2014);
to include in the plan of reorganization.
(8) This subdivision applies only to a reorganization described in section 1(a)(7) of this chapter that is voted on by voters after December 31, 2013, regardless of when the plan of reorganization is adopted. The reorganization committee (before January 1, 2014) or the legislative bodies of the reorganizing political subdivisions (after December 31, 2013) shall include in the reorganization plan an approval threshold, specified as a percentage, that applies for purposes of section 32(b) of this chapter. The approval threshold must be the same for each municipality that is a party to the proposed reorganization and to each township that is a party to the proposed reorganization. The approval threshold must be greater than fifty percent (50%), but not more than fifty-five percent (55%).
(9) This subdivision applies only to a reorganization described in section 1(a)(7) of this chapter that is voted on by voters after December 31, 2013, regardless of when the plan of reorganization is adopted. The reorganization committee (before January 1, 2014) or the legislative bodies of the reorganizing political subdivisions (after December 31, 2013) shall determine and include in the reorganization plan the percentage of voters in both the municipality and the township voting on the public question regarding the proposed reorganization who must vote in favor of the proposed reorganization for the public question to be approved. This percentage is referred to in this chapter as the "municipality-township vote approval percentage". The municipality-township vote approval percentage must be greater than fifty percent (50%).
(10) In the case of a reorganization described in section 1(a)(9) of this chapter, the reorganization committee (before January 1, 2014) or the legislative bodies of the reorganizing political subdivisions (after December 31, 2013) shall include in the reorganization plan an approval threshold, specified as a percentage, that applies for purposes of section 32(c) of this chapter. The approval threshold must be the same for each municipality that is a party to the proposed reorganization and to the county that is a party to the proposed reorganization. The approval threshold must be greater than fifty percent (50%), but not more than fifty-five percent (55%).
(11) In the case of a reorganization described in section 1(a)(9) of this chapter, the reorganization committee (before January 1, 2014) or the legislative bodies of the reorganizing political subdivisions (after December 31, 2013) shall determine and include in the reorganization plan the percentage of voters voting on the public question regarding the proposed reorganization who must vote, on a countywide basis, in favor of the proposed reorganization for the public question to be approved. This percentage is referred to in this chapter as the "countywide vote approval percentage". The countywide vote approval percentage must be greater than fifty percent (50%).
(12) The fiscal impact analysis required by subsection (d).
(c) In the case of a plan of reorganization submitted to a political subdivision by a reorganization committee after June 30, 2010, and before January 1, 2014, or prepared by the legislative bodies of the reorganizing political subdivisions after December 31, 2013, the political subdivision shall post a copy of the plan of reorganization on an Internet web site maintained or authorized by the political subdivision not more than thirty (30) days after receiving the plan of reorganization from the reorganization committee (before January 1, 2014) or (after December 31, 2013) not more than thirty (30) days after the plan of reorganization is prepared by the legislative bodies of the reorganizing political subdivisions. If the plan of reorganization is amended, the political subdivision shall post the amended plan on the Internet web site maintained or authorized by the political subdivision within seven (7) days after the amended plan is adopted.
(d) The legislative bodies of the reorganizing political subdivisions preparing a reorganization plan after December 31, 2013, must include in the plan of reorganization a fiscal impact analysis of the proposed reorganization. The fiscal impact analysis must include at least the following:
(1) The estimated effect of the proposed reorganization on taxpayers in each of the political subdivisions to which the proposed reorganization applies, including the expected tax rates, tax levies, expenditure levels, service levels, and annual debt service payments in those political subdivisions.
(2) A description of the planned services to be provided in the reorganized political subdivision and the method or methods of financing the planned services. The fiscal impact analysis must:
(A) present itemized estimated costs for each department or agency of the reorganized political subdivision; and
(B) explain how specific and detailed expenses will be funded from taxes, fees, grants, and other funding.
(3) A description of the capital improvements to be provided in the reorganized political subdivision and the method or methods of financing those capital improvements.
(4) Any estimated effects on political subdivisions in the county that are not participating in the reorganization and on taxpayers located in those political subdivisions.
(e) The legislative bodies of the reorganizing political subdivisions preparing a plan of reorganization after December 31, 2013, must submit the fiscal impact analysis described in subsection (d) to the department of local government finance at least three (3) months before the election in which the public question will be on the ballot. A legislative body of a reorganizing political subdivision may not adopt a plan of reorganization unless the legislative bodies of the reorganizing political subdivisions have submitted the fiscal impact analysis to the department of local government finance as required by this subsection. The department of local government finance must do the following within a reasonable time, but not later than thirty (30) days before the date of the election in which the public question will be on the ballot:
(1) Review the fiscal impact analysis.
(2) Make any comments concerning the fiscal impact analysis that the department considers appropriate.
(3) Provide the department's comments under subdivision (2) to the legislative body of the reorganizing political subdivisions.
(4) Post the department's comments under subdivision (2) on the department's Internet web site.
The department of local government finance shall certify to the legislative bodies of the reorganizing political subdivisions the total amount of expense incurred by the department in carrying out the department's review and preparing the department's comments. Upon receipt of the department's certification of the expenses, the reorganizing political subdivisions shall immediately pay to the treasurer of state the amount charged. The share of the cost to be paid by each reorganizing political subdivision shall be determined by the legislative bodies of the reorganizing political subdivisions. Money paid by a reorganizing political subdivision under this subsection shall be deposited in the state general fund.
As added by P.L.186-2006, SEC.4. Amended by P.L.113-2010, SEC.110; P.L.202-2013, SEC.10; P.L.233-2015, SEC.335.