2023 Indiana Code › Title 6. Taxation › Article 1.1. Property Taxes › Chapter 17. Procedures for Fixing and Reviewing Budgets, Tax Rates, and Tax Levies › 6-1.1-17-16. Department of Local Government Finance Certification of Tax Rates, Tax Levies, and Budgets; Public Hearing Requests; Deadline for Completion; Limitations on Levy for Lease Payments; Judicial Review of Department Action

Sec. 16. (a) The department of local government finance shall certify the tax rates and tax levies for all funds of political subdivisions subject to the department of local government finance's review.
(b) For a fund of a political subdivision subject to levy limits under IC 6-1.1-18.5-3, the department of local government finance shall calculate and certify the allowable budget of the fund if the political subdivision adopts a tax levy that exceeds the estimated maximum levy limits as provided by the department of local government finance under IC 6-1.1-18.5-24.
(c) For a fund of a political subdivision subject to levy limits under IC 6-1.1-18.5-3 and for which the political subdivision adopts a tax levy that is not more than the levy limits under IC 6-1.1-18.5-3, the department of local government finance shall review the fund to ensure the adopted budget is fundable based on the unit's adopted tax levy and estimates of available revenues. If the adopted budget is fundable, the department of local government finance shall use the adopted budget as the approved appropriation for the fund for the budget year. As needed, the political subdivision may complete the additional appropriation process through IC 6-1.1-18-5 for these funds during the budget year.
(d) For a fund of the political subdivision subject to levy limits under IC 6-1.1-18.5-3 and for which the political subdivision adopts a tax levy that is not more than the levy limits under IC 6-1.1-18.5-3, if the department of local government finance has determined the adopted budget is not fundable based on the unit's adopted tax levy and estimates of available revenues, the department of local government finance shall calculate and certify the allowable budget that is fundable based on the adopted tax levy and the department's estimates of available revenues.
(e) For all other funds of a political subdivision not described in subsections (b), (c), and (d), the department of local government finance shall certify a budget for the fund.
(f) Except as provided in section 16.1 of this chapter, the department of local government finance is not required to hold a public hearing before the department of local government finance reviews, revises, reduces, or increases a political subdivision's budget by fund, tax rate, or tax levy under this section.
(g) Except as provided in subsection (l), IC 20-46, or IC 6-1.1-18.5, the department of local government finance may not increase a political subdivision's budget by fund, tax rate, or tax levy to an amount which exceeds the amount originally fixed by the political subdivision. However, if the department of local government finance determines that IC 5-3-1-2.3(b) applies to the tax rate, tax levy, or budget of the political subdivision, the maximum amount by which the department may increase the tax rate, tax levy, or budget is the amount originally fixed by the political subdivision, and not the amount that was incorrectly published or omitted in the notice described in IC 5-3-1-2.3(b). The department of local government finance shall give the political subdivision notification electronically in the manner prescribed by the department of local government finance specifying any revision, reduction, or increase the department proposes in a political subdivision's tax levy or tax rate. The political subdivision has ten (10) calendar days from the date the political subdivision receives the notice to provide a response electronically in the manner prescribed by the department of local government finance. The response may include budget reductions, reallocation of levies, a revision in the amount of miscellaneous revenues, and further review of any other item about which, in the view of the political subdivision, the department is in error. The department of local government finance shall consider the adjustments as specified in the political subdivision's response if the response is provided as required by this subsection and shall deliver a final decision to the political subdivision. The department of local government finance may not consider any adjustments that are suggested by the political subdivision after the expiration of the ten (10) day period allowed for the political subdivision's response.
(h) The department of local government finance may not approve a levy for lease payments by a city, town, county, library, or school corporation if the lease payments are payable to a building corporation for use by the building corporation for debt service on bonds and if:
(1) no bonds of the building corporation are outstanding; or
(2) the building corporation has enough legally available funds on hand to redeem all outstanding bonds payable from the particular lease rental levy requested.
(i) The department of local government finance shall certify its action to:
(1) the county auditor;
(2) if the budget and levy of the political subdivision are being continued:
(A) the state board of accounts;
(B) the auditor of state; and
(C) the department of state revenue;
(3) the political subdivision if the department acts pursuant to an appeal initiated by the political subdivision; and
(4) a taxpayer that owns property that represents at least ten percent (10%) of the taxable assessed valuation in the political subdivision.
(j) The following may petition for judicial review of the final determination of the department of local government finance under subsection (i):
(1) If the department acts under an appeal initiated by a political subdivision, the political subdivision.
(2) A taxpayer that owns property that represents at least ten percent (10%) of the taxable assessed valuation in the political subdivision.
The petition must be filed in the tax court not more than forty-five (45) days after the department certifies its action under subsection (i).
(k) The department of local government finance is expressly directed to complete the duties assigned to it under this section as follows:
(1) Not later than December 31 of the year preceding that budget year, unless subdivision (2) applies.
(2) Not later than January 15 of the budget year if any of the following are true:
(A) A taxing unit in a county intends to issue debt after December 1 in the year preceding the budget year and has indicated its intent to issue debt after December 1 in the year preceding the budget year as specified in section 5 of this chapter.
(B) A taxing unit intends to file a shortfall appeal under IC 6-1.1-18.5-16 and has indicated its intent to file a shortfall appeal as specified in section 5 of this chapter.
(C) The deadline for a city in the county to fix the budget, tax rate, and tax levy has been extended, in accordance with section 5.2 of this chapter, due to the executive's veto of the ordinance fixing the budget, tax rate, and tax levy.
(l) Subject to the provisions of all applicable statutes, and notwithstanding IC 6-1.1-18-1, the department of local government finance shall, unless the department finds extenuating circumstances, increase a political subdivision's tax levy to an amount that exceeds the amount originally advertised or adopted by the political subdivision if:
(1) the increase is requested in writing by the officers of the political subdivision;
(2) the request includes:
(A) the corrected budget, tax rate, or levy, as applicable; and
(B) the time and place of the meeting described in subdivision (4);
(3) the political subdivision publishes the requested increase on the department's advertising Internet web site;
(4) the political subdivision adopts the needed changes to its budget, tax levy, or rate in a public meeting of the governing body; and
(5) notice is given to the county fiscal body of the department's correction.
The political subdivision shall publish notice of the meeting described in subdivision (4) on the Indiana transparency Internet web site in the manner prescribed by the department not later than forty-eight (48) hours (excluding weekends and holidays) before the meeting. If the department increases a levy beyond what was advertised or adopted under this subsection, it shall, unless the department finds extenuating circumstances, reduce the certified levy affected below the maximum allowable levy by the lesser of five percent (5%) of the difference between the advertised or adopted levy and the increased levy, or one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).
[Pre-1975 Property Tax Recodification Citations: 6-1-1-24.5; 6-1-46-8 part.]
Formerly: Acts 1975, P.L.47, SEC.1. As amended by P.L.73-1983, SEC.7; P.L.35-1990, SEC.7; P.L.35-1994, SEC.2; P.L.85-1995, SEC.3; P.L.86-1995, SEC.5; P.L.49-1996, SEC.4; P.L.50-1996, SEC.9; P.L.90-2002, SEC.156; P.L.256-2003, SEC.15; P.L.228-2005, SEC.21; P.L.2-2006, SEC.38; P.L.154-2006, SEC.44; P.L.169-2006, SEC.9; P.L.1-2007, SEC.42; P.L.146-2008, SEC.160; P.L.182-2009(ss), SEC.123; P.L.137-2012, SEC.26; P.L.218-2013, SEC.2; P.L.183-2014, SEC.21; P.L.149-2016, SEC.23; P.L.184-2016, SEC.11; P.L.257-2019, SEC.47; P.L.159-2020, SEC.24; P.L.38-2021, SEC.27.