July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Assessments collected twice (4/5/04)
Areas along county roads may have been 'double-taxed'
A request from a county official this morning uncovered a possible problem in the way that assessments for drainage work are being levied in Jay County.
A request from county engineer Dan Watson that the commissioners and not the highway department pay drainage assessments led to the apparent discovery that assessments for land along many roads are being collected twice.
The county highway department has paid an assessment for many years that goes toward drainage along county roads. Jay County’s surveyor said this morning that he believes owners of property along those same county roads also are being assessed.
“You’re right. They’re being double-taxed,” county surveyor Brad Daniels said this morning. “We’ll have to investigate.”
Jay County Commissioners, who also serve as the county drainage board, promised to discuss the issue further when they next meet on Monday, April 12.
While the county has an easement, or right-of-way, for its county roads, in most cases the road is usually owned by adjacent property owners, with owners on each side owning to the middle of the road.
For property taxes, the road right-of-way is deducted before the tax bill is figured.
But Daniels, who was called up to the commissioners meeting after the question of double-billing was raised by Commissioner Gary Theurer, said he believes no land is deducted for drainage purposes.
Theurer and fellow Commissioners Mike Leonhard and Milo Miller Jr. said the easiest solution to the problem would be to stop charging the county highway department for drainage.
Miller said he believed the current practice was probably instituted by longtime surveyor Dick Davidson, Daniels’ predecessor who is now deceased.
Watson said that the highway department also has paid drainage assessment for a 160-acre county-owned parcel on which the county highway garage is located.
If the county no longer has to pay drainage assessments for roads on property which it does not own, the annual amount due for drainage would be a fraction of the current $7,000 to $10,000.
Also this morning, Jay County Cemetery Commission member Roy Leverich told the county commissioners that a volunteer has been found to serve as the commission’s secretary and treasurer. Commission members will still review and approve claims and other board business.[[In-content Ad]]
A request from county engineer Dan Watson that the commissioners and not the highway department pay drainage assessments led to the apparent discovery that assessments for land along many roads are being collected twice.
The county highway department has paid an assessment for many years that goes toward drainage along county roads. Jay County’s surveyor said this morning that he believes owners of property along those same county roads also are being assessed.
“You’re right. They’re being double-taxed,” county surveyor Brad Daniels said this morning. “We’ll have to investigate.”
Jay County Commissioners, who also serve as the county drainage board, promised to discuss the issue further when they next meet on Monday, April 12.
While the county has an easement, or right-of-way, for its county roads, in most cases the road is usually owned by adjacent property owners, with owners on each side owning to the middle of the road.
For property taxes, the road right-of-way is deducted before the tax bill is figured.
But Daniels, who was called up to the commissioners meeting after the question of double-billing was raised by Commissioner Gary Theurer, said he believes no land is deducted for drainage purposes.
Theurer and fellow Commissioners Mike Leonhard and Milo Miller Jr. said the easiest solution to the problem would be to stop charging the county highway department for drainage.
Miller said he believed the current practice was probably instituted by longtime surveyor Dick Davidson, Daniels’ predecessor who is now deceased.
Watson said that the highway department also has paid drainage assessment for a 160-acre county-owned parcel on which the county highway garage is located.
If the county no longer has to pay drainage assessments for roads on property which it does not own, the annual amount due for drainage would be a fraction of the current $7,000 to $10,000.
Also this morning, Jay County Cemetery Commission member Roy Leverich told the county commissioners that a volunteer has been found to serve as the commission’s secretary and treasurer. Commission members will still review and approve claims and other board business.[[In-content Ad]]
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