PTABOA residency requirement bill passes Indiana Senate
Senate Bill 187, authored by State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, states the term of anyone serving on a county property tax assessment board of appeals who isn't an Indiana resident will expire July 1. The fiscal body, which is the council in Lake County, would then be required to appoint a new member to finish out the member's term.
The bill maintains Indiana's current PTABOA law that states a member has to be at least 18 years old and be 'knowledgeable in the valuation of property.' The bill also maintains that a majority of the members must have the certification of a level two or level three assessor-appraiser.
'This is an important piece of legislation that directly affects my district,' Dernulc said in a statement. 'Members of an Indiana PTABOA should be Indiana residents to ensure we have equal and fair property tax assessments for those who have chosen to call themselves Hoosiers. I look forward to seeing how this will change how people look at these boards and who serves on them.'
The bill was amended in the Senate Local Government Committee to include language State Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, proposed strengthening the language to ensure that the PTABOA member lives in Indiana throughout his or her four-year term.
'If you want to make sure that their whole term that they live in Indiana, I would put that in there specifically. I wouldn't leave it open to interpretation,' Taylor said in committee.
Dernulc said he drafted the bill after learning about Lake County PTABOA member Samantha Steele, who is also a Cook County Board of Review commissioner and was arrested for driving under the influence in Chicago late last year. Steele lives in Evanston, Illinois.
State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores, said that in his district counties have had difficulties finding qualified members to appoint to the PTABOA. Bohacek suggested the bill be further amended to state that if someone owns property in Indiana and has the proper qualifications he or she could serve on the PTABOA.
Dernulc said Bohacek was going to offer an amendment to the bill to allow for someone to own property in Indiana and serve on a PTABOA. But, after they talked, Dernulc said Bohacek agreed to pull the amendment.
In Lake County, Dernulc said he reached out to council members about the bill. The council member he talked to, Dernulc said, expressed interest in the bill.
Lake County Councilman Ted Biliski, D-Hobart, said conceptually the PTABOA bill makes sense, and he supports it. The members of the board should live in the community they are serving, he said.
But Bilski said he hopes the bill doesn't make it more difficult to find PTABOA members because it's not always easy to find level two or three assessor-appraisers.
'(The bill) makes sense. I have no issues with it. I hope it doesn't impede our ability to fill the board,' Bilski said.
Lake County Council President Christine Cid, D-East Chicago, previously said she told Dernulc she supports the bill. Cid said the county uses a state website to find level two and level three assessors, so it would be easy to find qualified people who live in the county or state that could serve on the PTABOA.
'I believe there are plenty of qualified people here, not just in Lake County but in Indiana, that could serve,' Cid said.
Lake County Board of Commissioners Michael Repay, D-3rd, previously said Lake County officials want to appoint the most qualified people to the PTABOA.
'There are like 101 more important things that could positively impact the citizens of Indiana and the citizens in Senator Dan Dernulc's district than a fully qualified individual who doesn't live in the county,' Repay previously said.
The bill passed 50-0 Tuesday. It will be considered by the House, starting in committee.
akukulka@chicagotribune.com
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