About Us
The Department of Local Government Finance is responsible for ensuring property tax assessment and local government budgeting are carried out in accordance with Indiana law. The Department is charged with publishing property tax assessment rules and annually reviewing and approving the tax rates and levies of every political subdivision in the state, including all counties, cities, towns, townships, school corporations, libraries, and other entities with tax levy authority.
The Department is led by Commissioner Brian Bailey who oversees the operations of the Department and serves as a member of the Distressed Unit Appeals Board. Commissioner Bailey is assisted in overseeing the Department's four divisions by the Deputy Commissioner, General Counsel and Chief of Staff / Director of Communications.
Deputy Commissioner Sarah Ancel assists the Commissioner in overseeing the Department's five divisions.
The Department's legal staff is led by General Counsel Micah Vincent. The legal staff draft and publish property tax assessment rules and interpret statutory law to ensure property tax assessments and local government budgeting are carried out in accordance with Indiana law and Department rules and regulations.
The Assessment Division is led by Director J. Barry Wood. Director Wood and his staff provide guidance, technical instruction and support to taxpayers and local officials across the state. The assessment division promotes consistent assessing procedures throughout the state by providing guidance, technical instruction and securing compliance with the applicable laws to ensure the fair and equitable assessment of real and personal property for taxpayers and local officials. The division is responsible for the statewide assessment of public utilities; personal property auditing; assisting in equalization studies; developing manuals, rules and guidelines for use by local officials; and providing training to assessing officials and administering an assessment certification program. The division maintains field representatives throughout the state to better serve local units of government. To contact a local field representative, see (CONTACT US page on Web site) or call (317) 232-3773.
The Budget Division is led by Director Courtney Schaafsma. Director Schaafsma and her staff work closely with local officials in preparing their annual budgets and to monitor and enforce statutory compliance with Indiana law. The division's staff provides recommendations to the Commissioner on matters related to budgets, rates, levies, exceptions to property tax controls and taxpayer exceptions to tax rate increases. Throughout the year division staff are involved in training and participate in budget hearings and appeals throughout the state. The division maintains field offices throughout the state to better serve local units of government. To contact a local field representative, see (CONTACT US page on Web site) or call (317) 232-3773.
The Data Analysis Division is led by Director Eric Bussis. Director Bussis and his staff conduct on-going research and analysis in all areas of property taxation to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of the property tax burden in Indiana.
