Consultant presents draft tax-abatement policy, suggests optional fee for development abatement

Jonathan Blake of RDL Solutions presented a draft county tax-abatement policy intended to standardize application requirements, create a tax-abatement committee and provide scoring guidance to the council.

Blake described the recommended committee composition — two county council members, one county commissioner, a planning commission member and the superintendent of schools — and said the committee would make an initial recommendation to the council. He said the policy aims to discourage speculative development and to focus abatements where the county receives clear economic benefit, such as preservation or creation of full-time jobs and hiring of county residents.

Blake also recommended the council consider an optional administrative fee authorized by state law: "Indiana Code 6-1.1-12.1-14 does authorize the governing body . . . to impose a fee of not more than 15% of the abatement," he said, explaining it could fund planning, infrastructure or site-preparation work. He emphasized the fee would require taxpayer consent in the abatement agreement and said he was not requesting action at the meeting but would return next month for questions.

Council members asked about statutory requirements for committee membership and the flexibility of a scoring system. Blake said the committee makeup is a recommendation rather than a statutory requirement and that the proposed scoring approach is a guideline the council could adjust case by case.