Sec. 12. (a) This section applies if the tax increment replacement amount for an allocation area in a district is greater than zero (0).

     (b) A governing body may, after a public hearing, do the following:

Terms Used In Indiana Code 6-1.1-21.2-12

  • allocation area: refers to an area that is established under the authority of any of the following statutes and in which tax increment revenues are collected:

    Indiana Code 6-1.1-21.2-3

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • base assessed value: means the base assessed value as that term is defined or used in:

    Indiana Code 6-1.1-21.2-4

  • Clerk: means the clerk of the court or a person authorized to perform the clerk's duties. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • district: refers to the following:

    Indiana Code 6-1.1-21.2-5

  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • governing body: means the following:

    Indiana Code 6-1.1-21.2-6

  • Judgment: means all final orders, decrees, and determinations in an action and all orders upon which executions may issue. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Personal property: includes goods, chattels, evidences of debt, and things in action. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Personal property: All property that is not real property.
  • Property: includes personal and real property. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • property taxes: means :

    Indiana Code 6-1.1-21.2-7

  • special fund: means :

    Indiana Code 6-1.1-21.2-8

  • tax increment replacement amount: means the tax increment replacement amount determined under section 11 of this chapter. See Indiana Code 6-1.1-21.2-9
  • tax increment revenues: means the property taxes attributable to the assessed value of property in excess of the base assessed value. See Indiana Code 6-1.1-21.2-10
(1) Impose a special assessment on the owners of property that is located in an allocation area to raise an amount not to exceed the tax increment replacement amount.

(2) Impose a tax on all taxable property in the district in which the governing body exercises jurisdiction to raise an amount not to exceed the tax increment replacement amount.

(3) Reduce the base assessed value of property in the allocation area to an amount that is sufficient to increase the tax increment revenues in the allocation area by an amount that does not exceed the tax increment replacement amount.

     (c) The governing body shall submit a proposed special assessment or tax levy under this section to the legislative body of the unit that established the district. The legislative body may:

(1) reduce the amount of the special assessment or tax to be levied under this section;

(2) determine that no special assessment or property tax should be levied under this section; or

(3) increase the special assessment or tax to the amount necessary to fully fund the tax increment replacement amount.

     (d) Before a public hearing under subsection (b) may be held, the governing body must publish notice of the hearing under IC 5-3-1. The notice must also be sent to the fiscal officer of each political subdivision that is located in any part of the district. The notice must state that the governing body will meet to consider whether a special assessment or tax should be imposed under this chapter and whether the special assessment or tax will help the governing body realize the redevelopment or economic development objectives for the allocation area or honor its obligations related to the allocation area. The notice must also specify a date when the governing body will receive and hear remonstrances and objections from persons affected by the special assessment. All persons affected by the hearing, including all taxpayers within the allocation area, shall be considered notified of the pendency of the hearing and of subsequent acts, hearings, and orders of the governing body by the notice. At the hearing, which may be adjourned from time to time, the governing body shall hear all persons affected by the proceedings and shall consider all written remonstrances and objections that have been filed. The only grounds for remonstrance or objection are that the special assessment or tax will not help the governing body realize the redevelopment or economic development objectives for the allocation area or honor its obligations related to the allocation area. After considering the evidence presented, the governing body shall take final action concerning the proposed special assessment or tax. The final action taken by the governing body shall be recorded and is final and conclusive, except that an appeal may be taken in the manner prescribed by subsection (e).

     (e) A person who filed a written remonstrance with a governing body under subsection (d) and is aggrieved by the final action taken may, within ten (10) days after that final action, file in the office of the clerk of the circuit or superior court a copy of the order of the governing body and the person’s remonstrance or objection against that final action, together with a bond conditioned to pay the costs of appeal if the appeal is determined against the person. The only ground of remonstrance or objection that the court may hear is whether the proposed special assessment or tax will help achieve the redevelopment of economic development objectives for the allocation area or honor its obligations related to the allocation area. An appeal under this subsection shall be promptly heard by the court without a jury. All remonstrances or objections upon which an appeal has been taken must be consolidated, heard, and determined within thirty (30) days after the time of the filing of the appeal. The court shall hear evidence on the remonstrances or objections and may confirm the final action of the governing body or sustain the remonstrances or objections. The judgment of the court is final and conclusive, unless an appeal is taken as in other civil actions.

     (f) This section applies to a governing body that:

(1) is the metropolitan development commission for a county having a consolidated city; and

(2) has established an allocation area and pledged tax increment revenues from the area to the payment of bonds, leases, or other obligations before May 8, 1989.

Notwithstanding subsections (a) through (e), the governing body may determine to fund that part of the tax increment replacement amount attributable to the repeal of IC 36-7-15.1-26.5, IC 36-7-15.1-26.7, and IC 36-7-15.1-26.9 from property taxes on personal property (as defined in IC 6-1.1-1-11). If the governing body makes such a determination, the property taxes on personal property in the amount determined under this subsection shall be allocated to the redevelopment district, paid into the special fund for the allocation area, and used for the purposes specified in IC 36-7-15.1-26.

As added by P.L.192-2002(ss), SEC.44. Amended by P.L.146-2008, SEC.239; P.L.182-2009(ss), SEC.154.