STATEHOUSE (Jan. 6, 2010) - State Sen. Vaneta Becker (R-Evansville) said today an updated 2009 Statewide Property Tax Report shows bills went down significantly across the district.

According to Becker, decreases in average homestead tax bills from 2007 to 2009 were experienced in Vanderburgh (29.1 percent) and Warrick (23.5 percent) counties.

"Results in these counties as well as statewide show us the tax policies enacted in March 2008 are helping Hoosiers keep more of their hard-earned dollars," Becker said. "I think we're on the right track where property taxes are concerned, but there's more that can be done. In order to ensure long-term taxpayer protection, we must put the property tax caps constitutional amendment question in the hands of the voters in the coming year. Also, to continue the positive effects of the tax caps, we need to look closely at the reassessed property value and make sure it accurately reflects fair market value."

Becker emphasized that more than 1.3 million Hoosier homesteads saw lower property tax bills from 2007 to 2009. That accounts for nearly 96 percent of all Indiana homesteads. Almost half of the homesteads reporting saw property taxes go down as much as 21 to 25 percent.

Officials with the Office of Fiscal & Management Analysis said that while the report is still incomplete, it served as a good representation of the state as a whole.  Becker said the report is available at http://www.in.gov/legislative/pdf/STATEWIDE09.PDF and covers 85 of the state's 92 counties, representing 91 percent of Indiana's parcels.

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Becker represents Senate District 50, which includes portions of Vanderburgh and Warrick  counties.

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