13 WTHR - Indianapolis News |Lower pay for township assessors will save thousands

Lower pay for township assessors will save thousands

Corydon - The Harrison County Council has reversed itself and voted to abandon a previously approved plan to pay salaries next year to each of the southern Indiana county's 12 township assessors.

Meanwhile, in Indianapolis, the City-County Council voted Monday to reduce the salaries of Marion County's township assessors because much of their jobs are being eliminated by a new state law.

A bill passed by the General Assembly this year shifted property tax assessment duties in most of Indiana's townships to county assessors on July 1. In 43 townships statewide with more than 15,000 tax parcels each, the General Assembly left it up to voters to decide their assessor's fate.

Harrison County Councilman Carl Mathes, who cast the deciding vote in a 4-3 decision Monday night, said the council needed to resolve the matter despite his belief that the township assessors deserve the money and might sue if they don't get it.

Looking to the back of the meeting room where two township assessors watched, Mathes told them, "Talk to your lawyer. If you decide to sue the county, get in line. I think you've got a pretty good lawsuit."

The Harrison County Council earlier had agreed to pay all 12 township assessors affected by the new law an additional year's salary in 2009. Supporters argued that the payments were only fair because the duties were taken away halfway through a four-year term.

The annual salary amounts range from $1,434 to $4,012 except for Harrison Township Assessor Gerald Saulman, who stood to receive $18,349. The Harrison Township assessor traditionally was paid more because of a heavier workload.

The council agreed last summer to merge Saulman and two full-time employees from his township office into the county assessor's office. Separately, it agreed to pay Saulman $18,900 for working a 30-hour week, creating the possibility that Saulman could earn more than $37,000 if both salaries were approved for next year.

Councilman Chris Timberlake questioned whether any of the assessors should be paid next year and made the motion to sign a 2009 salary ordinance without the assessors' salaries.

"They don't have the responsibility anymore," Timberlake said.

In Indianapolis, meanwhile, Marion County taxpayers will save nearly $400,000 in 2009 after the City-County council voted 23-3 Monday night to reduce the salaries of the county's township assessors to $27,500 each.

A state law that applies only to Marion County allows the council to reduce the assessors' salaries to what they were in 1980 from their current compensation ranging from $60,000 to $70,000. The salaries cannot be eliminated as in other counties until their terms are finished in 2011.

Marion County residents voted last month to transfer the township assessing duties to the county assessor. Residents in all eight townships on the ballot voted in favor of the change, which supporters say will reduce layers of government and provide more uniform assessments.

Franklin Township Assessor Becky Williams said she was happy the council will treat them all equally.

"Normally, when you run for a position, you can count on four years," Williams said. "This little amount of money won't mean much to the city, but it will sure mean a lot to me."

(Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)