Auditor

Annual Budget Hearings Underway

The Porter County Council has begun its budget hearings on the proposed 2022 county government budgets. The schedule, subject to change, is as follows:

• Sept. 30: Various departments including Porter County Sheriff and Jail, Coroner, Treasurer, Assessor and Portage Township Assessor.
• Oct. 5: Various departments including the courts, Clerk, Board of Election and Registration, Prosecutor, Recorder, and Auditor.
• Oct. 7: Various departments including Highway, EMA, Parks, Surveyor, Health Department, Animal Shelter, Commissioners.
• Oct. 14: Final budget adoption.

All budget sessions are open to the public and begin at 5:30 p.m. in the County Administration Center, Valparaiso.

At its first meeting in August, the Council reviewed the estimates of the 2022 maximum property tax levies and estimated tax caps (Circuit Breaker credits) that will affect all local governmental unit budgets. To view our report containing the projections, click here: Estimated Max Levies and Tax Caps, 2022.

In summary, the projections show:

• Maximum property tax levies will increase in 2022, reflecting the state's growth quotient of 4.3%.
• Most units in Porter County are projected to see a decrease in the revenue losses due to the state's tax caps.

Certified!

The Porter County Auditor's Office recently certified the net assessed values that will be used in establishing the 2022 property tax rates. These values reflect the assessed values for all property types, adjusted for tax abatements, TIFs, deductions and other factors.

For the second year in a row, the county's overall taxable values will increase by more than 6%, from $10.5 billion to $11.2 billion. Generally speaking, higher net AVs can help stabilize property tax rates. Some highlights about the certified values:

• Of the various property types, owner-occupied homes increased the most, from $5.8 billion to $6.38 billion, a nearly 10% increase.
• Personal property values grew an overall 2%, to $1.52 billion.
• Real and personal property in Tax Increment Financing districts increased from $886 million to $889 million.
• While nearly all of Porter County's taxing districts saw net AV growth, five taxing districts increased by more than 10%. These were: Pine Township-Duneland Schools, Pine Township-Michigan City Schools, Morgan Township, Jackson Township, and Chesterton-Liberty Township.

Details about Porter County's 2022 certified values are available online at gateway.ifionline.org Click on "Search for Reports," then "Assessed Values."

2021 Property Tax Rates

The table below shows the tax rates in each Porter County taxing district in 2021, with a comparison to 2020. In all but four of Porter County's taxing districts, tax rates are lower than last year. 

The property tax rates were certified in the county's annual budget order, which is available through the following link: Porter County 2021 budget order. 

Income Tax revenue for 2021 certified

The table below shows the local income tax (LIT) revenues that our office distributes monthly to the county, cities and towns. The revenue comes from payroll withholdings from those who work in the county; the 2021 amounts reflect the income taxes generated in 2019. 

Overall, Porter County's 2021 LIT is 5.48% higher than in 2020. Half of the total is reserved for a credit on homeowner tax bills and for the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority. The other half is distributed to the county and municipalities. 

Did you know? Porter County's LIT rate of 0.5% (.005) is the lowest in Indiana. Only one other county currently has this same rate. The following breakdown shows the distribution to the county and municipalities in both 2020 and 2021.