Property Taxes

Critics say they worry about burdening heirs with liens but Republican St. Joseph County Council members say they're more worried about making it easier for middle-aged and senior homeowners who've paid off their mortgages to stay in their homes despite rising property tax bills.

After Microsoft announced it won't seek property tax breaks for its data centers, four St. Joseph County Council members have asked Amazon to renegotiate their $4 billion property tax abatement over 35 years.

Now that Microsoft has announced a national policy of forgoing local property tax breaks for its data centers, four of the St. Joseph County Council's five Republicans have sent Amazon Web Services a letter asking it to renegotiate the 35-year, $4 billion property tax abatement it's receiving from the county for its New Carlisle data center under development.

St. Joseph County's new "Help Seniors Stay in Their Homes" program will let homeowners age 55 and older defer property taxes until their home is transferred to another owner.

The fire territory expansion will roughly double the fire service portion of township property tax rates, generating money that proponents say will keep them competitive with other departments for pay.

St. Joseph County prosecutors say Gloria Niedbalski committed felony identity deception Dec. 9 when she pretended to be County Council member Amy Drake's elderly neighbor in a call to the Department of Child Services. Niedbalski has bonded out of jail and on Monday she resigned from the county's Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals.

Harris Township Trustee Ken Lindsay says Clay Fire Territory is losing personnel to other departments that pay higher wages.

St. Joseph County leaders say state-enacted property tax cuts are leading them to stop paying for ambulance service to townships, forcing some townships to merge to better afford the service.

St. Joseph County Public Library Board Executive Director Stephanie Murphy fears Mishawaka Republican Sen. Ryan Mishler's bill would bring too much partisan politics into library operations.