Treasurer summarizes county task force on income‑tax changes; town staff urges readiness for 2027 legislative shifts

Treasurer Ryan briefed the council on a municipal strategic task force meeting convened in Allen County to study potential changes to income‑tax distribution under consideration in the legislature.

He described two scenarios: separate municipal rates (subject to a population threshold of 3,500 to adopt a separate rate) and a countywide uniform rate. Treasurer Ryan said county fiscal officers favored a countywide approach to ensure all communities are held harmless and to avoid administrative complexity for employers; concerns cited included disparities in rates between communities and the effect on unincorporated residents. "There's nothing binding about any of the numbers that were discussed," Ryan said; the county must submit a summary report to the Department of Local Government Finance by Oct. 1 and the state legislature will decide how to proceed.

Town staff told council the town can adopt a separate or joint rate under current state law and recommended staying engaged with county and legislative advocacy work; staff said they will provide further information as the county report and legislative session develop.