Council approves tax-rate adjustments to avoid locked levy-freeze dollars

Chairman Muscari introduced Proposal 2-76, which requests Department of Local Government Finance approval to adjust Marion County income-tax shares so the city can use dollars that would otherwise be trapped by levy-freeze rules.

Controller Abby Hanson explained on the floor: "If we do not take this action, then money that could be spent in any other way would go to a lockbox, essentially, a fund we can't tap into." Hanson said the adjustment increases both the COIT rate and the public safety income-tax rate so those dollars are available for budget needs rather than sitting in reserve. The council carried the proposal 24–0.

Councilors asked technical questions about certified shares and prior changes; the controller said these annual adjustments have been made in previous years as a routine exercise.