Indiana Code 36-7-15.1-26. Real property tax allocation and distribution
Terms Used In Indiana Code 36-7-15.1-26
“Base assessed value” means, subject to subsection (j), the following:
(1) If an allocation provision is adopted after June 30, 1995, in a declaratory resolution or an amendment to a declaratory resolution establishing an economic development area:
(A) the net assessed value of all the property as finally determined for the assessment date immediately preceding the effective date of the allocation provision of the declaratory resolution, as adjusted under subsection (h); plus
(B) to the extent that it is not included in clause (A), the net assessed value of property that is assessed as residential property under the rules of the department of local government finance, within the allocation area, as finally determined for the current assessment date.
(2) If an allocation provision is adopted after June 30, 1997, in a declaratory resolution or an amendment to a declaratory resolution establishing a redevelopment project area:
(A) the net assessed value of all the property as finally determined for the assessment date immediately preceding the effective date of the allocation provision of the declaratory resolution, as adjusted under subsection (h); plus
(B) to the extent that it is not included in clause (A), the net assessed value of property that is assessed as residential property under the rules of the department of local government finance, within the allocation area, as finally determined for the current assessment date.
(3) If:
(A) an allocation provision adopted before June 30, 1995, in a declaratory resolution or an amendment to a declaratory resolution establishing a redevelopment project area expires after June 30, 1997; and
(B) after June 30, 1997, a new allocation provision is included in an amendment to the declaratory resolution;
the net assessed value of all the property as finally determined for the assessment date immediately preceding the effective date of the allocation provision adopted after June 30, 1997, as adjusted under subsection (h).
(4) Except as provided in subdivision (5), for all other allocation areas, the net assessed value of all the property as finally determined for the assessment date immediately preceding the effective date of the allocation provision of the declaratory resolution, as adjusted under subsection (h).
(5) If an allocation area established in an economic development area before July 1, 1995, is expanded after June 30, 1995, the definition in subdivision (1) applies to the expanded part of the area added after June 30, 1995.
(6) If an allocation area established in a redevelopment project area before July 1, 1997, is expanded after June 30, 1997, the definition in subdivision (2) applies to the expanded part of the area added after June 30, 1997.
Except as provided in section 26.2 of this chapter, “property taxes” means taxes imposed under IC 6-1.1 on real property. However, upon approval by a resolution of the redevelopment commission adopted before June 1, 1987, “property taxes” also includes taxes imposed under IC 6-1.1 on depreciable personal property. If a redevelopment commission adopted before June 1, 1987, a resolution to include within the definition of property taxes, taxes imposed under IC 6-1.1 on depreciable personal property that has a useful life in excess of eight (8) years, the commission may by resolution determine the percentage of taxes imposed under IC 6-1.1 on all depreciable personal property that will be included within the definition of property taxes. However, the percentage included must not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the taxes imposed under IC 6-1.1 on all depreciable personal property.
(b) A resolution adopted under section 8 of this chapter on or before the allocation deadline determined under subsection (i) may include a provision with respect to the allocation and distribution of property taxes for the purposes and in the manner provided in this section. A resolution previously adopted may include an allocation provision by the amendment of that resolution on or before the allocation deadline determined under subsection (i) in accordance with the procedures required for its original adoption. A declaratory resolution or amendment that establishes an allocation provision must include a specific finding of fact, supported by evidence, that the adoption of the allocation provision will result in new property taxes in the area that would not have been generated but for the adoption of the allocation provision. For an allocation area established before July 1, 1995, the expiration date of any allocation provisions for the allocation area is June 30, 2025, or the last date of any obligations that are outstanding on July 1, 2015, whichever is later. However, for an allocation area identified as the Consolidated Allocation Area in the report submitted in 2013 to the fiscal body under section 36.3 of this chapter, the expiration date of any allocation provisions for the allocation area is January 1, 2051. A declaratory resolution or an amendment that establishes an allocation provision after June 30, 1995, must specify an expiration date for the allocation provision. For an allocation area established before July 1, 2008, the expiration date may not be more than thirty (30) years after the date on which the allocation provision is established. For an allocation area established after June 30, 2008, the expiration date may not be more than twenty-five (25) years after the date on which the first obligation was incurred to pay principal and interest on bonds or lease rentals on leases payable from tax increment revenues. However, with respect to bonds or other obligations that were issued before July 1, 2008, if any of the bonds or other obligations that were scheduled when issued to mature before the specified expiration date and that are payable only from allocated tax proceeds with respect to the allocation area remain outstanding as of the expiration date, the allocation provision does not expire until all of the bonds or other obligations are no longer outstanding. The allocation provision may apply to all or part of the redevelopment project area. The allocation provision must require that any property taxes subsequently levied by or for the benefit of any public body entitled to a distribution of property taxes on taxable property in the allocation area be allocated and distributed as follows:
(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the proceeds of the taxes attributable to the lesser of:
(A) the assessed value of the property for the assessment date with respect to which the allocation and distribution is made; or
(B) the base assessed value;
shall be allocated to and, when collected, paid into the funds of the respective taxing units.
(2) The excess of the proceeds of the property taxes imposed for the assessment date with respect to which the allocation and distribution is made that are attributable to taxes imposed after being approved by the voters in a referendum or local public question conducted after April 30, 2010, not otherwise included in subdivision (1) shall be allocated to and, when collected, paid into the funds of the taxing unit for which the referendum or local public question was conducted.
(3) Except as otherwise provided in this section, property tax proceeds in excess of those described in subdivisions (1) and (2) shall be allocated to the redevelopment district and, when collected, paid into a special fund for that allocation area that may be used by the redevelopment district only to do one (1) or more of the following:
(A) Pay the principal of and interest on any obligations payable solely from allocated tax proceeds that are incurred by the redevelopment district for the purpose of financing or refinancing the redevelopment of that allocation area.
(B) Establish, augment, or restore the debt service reserve for bonds payable solely or in part from allocated tax proceeds in that allocation area.
(C) Pay the principal of and interest on bonds payable from allocated tax proceeds in that allocation area and from the special tax levied under section 19 of this chapter.
(D) Pay the principal of and interest on bonds issued by the consolidated city to pay for local public improvements that are physically located in or physically connected to that allocation area.
(E) Pay premiums on the redemption before maturity of bonds payable solely or in part from allocated tax proceeds in that allocation area.
(F) Make payments on leases payable from allocated tax proceeds in that allocation area under section 17.1 of this chapter.
(G) Reimburse the consolidated city for expenditures for local public improvements (which include buildings, parking facilities, and other items set forth in section 17 of this chapter) that are physically located in or physically connected to that allocation area.
(H) Reimburse the unit for rentals paid by it for a building or parking facility that is physically located in or physically connected to that allocation area under any lease entered into under IC 36-1-10.
(I) Reimburse public and private entities for expenses incurred in training employees of industrial facilities that are located:
(i) in the allocation area; and
(ii) on a parcel of real property that has been classified as industrial property under the rules of the department of local government finance.
However, the total amount of money spent for this purpose in any year may not exceed the total amount of money in the allocation fund that is attributable to property taxes paid by the industrial facilities described in this clause. The reimbursements under this clause must be made within three (3) years after the date on which the investments that are the basis for the increment financing are made.
(J) Pay the costs of carrying out an eligible efficiency project (as defined in IC 36-9-41-1.5) within the unit that established the redevelopment commission. However, property tax proceeds may be used under this clause to pay the costs of carrying out an eligible efficiency project only if those property tax proceeds exceed the amount necessary to do the following:
(i) Make, when due, any payments required under clauses (A) through (I), including any payments of principal and interest on bonds and other obligations payable under this subdivision, any payments of premiums under this subdivision on the redemption before maturity of bonds, and any payments on leases payable under this subdivision.
(ii) Make any reimbursements required under this subdivision.
(iii) Pay any expenses required under this subdivision.
(iv) Establish, augment, or restore any debt service reserve under this subdivision.
(K) Expend money and provide financial assistance as authorized in section 7(a)(21) of this chapter.
The special fund may not be used for operating expenses of the commission.
(4) Before June 15 of each year, the commission shall do the following:
(A) Determine the amount, if any, by which the assessed value of the taxable property in the allocation area for the most recent assessment date minus the base assessed value, when multiplied by the estimated tax rate of the allocation area will exceed the amount of assessed value needed to provide the property taxes necessary to make, when due, principal and interest payments on bonds described in subdivision (3) plus the amount necessary for other purposes described in subdivision (3) and subsection (g).
(B) Provide a written notice to the county auditor, the legislative body of the consolidated city, the officers who are authorized to fix budgets, tax rates, and tax levies under IC 6-1.1-17-5 for each of the other taxing units that is wholly or partly located within the allocation area, and (in an electronic format) the department of local government finance. The notice must:
(i) state the amount, if any, of excess assessed value that the commission has determined may be allocated to the respective taxing units in the manner prescribed in subdivision (1); or
(ii) state that the commission has determined that there is no excess assessed value that may be allocated to the respective taxing units in the manner prescribed in subdivision (1).
The county auditor shall allocate to the respective taxing units the amount, if any, of excess assessed value determined by the commission. The commission may not authorize an allocation to the respective taxing units under this subdivision if to do so would endanger the interests of the holders of bonds described in subdivision (3).
(C) If:
(i) the amount of excess assessed value determined by the commission is expected to generate more than two hundred percent (200%) of the amount of allocated tax proceeds necessary to make, when due, principal and interest payments on bonds described in subdivision (3); plus
(ii) the amount necessary for other purposes described in subdivision (3) and subsection (g);
the commission shall submit to the legislative body of the unit the commission’s determination of the excess assessed value that the commission proposes to allocate to the respective taxing units in the manner prescribed in subdivision (1). The legislative body of the unit may approve the commission’s determination or modify the amount of the excess assessed value that will be allocated to the respective taxing units in the manner prescribed in subdivision (1).
(c) For the purpose of allocating taxes levied by or for any taxing unit or units, the assessed value of taxable property in a territory in the allocation area that is annexed by any taxing unit after the effective date of the allocation provision of the resolution is the lesser of:
(1) the assessed value of the property for the assessment date with respect to which the allocation and distribution is made; or
(2) the base assessed value.
(d) Property tax proceeds allocable to the redevelopment district under subsection (b)(3) may, subject to subsection (b)(4), be irrevocably pledged by the redevelopment district for payment as set forth in subsection (b)(3).
(e) Notwithstanding any other law, each assessor shall, upon petition of the commission, reassess the taxable property situated upon or in, or added to, the allocation area, effective on the next assessment date after the petition.
(f) Notwithstanding any other law, the assessed value of all taxable property in the allocation area, for purposes of tax limitation, property tax replacement, and formulation of the budget, tax rate, and tax levy for each political subdivision in which the property is located is the lesser of:
(1) the assessed value of the property as valued without regard to this section; or
(2) the base assessed value.
(g) If any part of the allocation area is located in an enterprise zone created under IC 5-28-15, the unit that designated the allocation area shall create funds as specified in this subsection. A unit that has obligations, bonds, or leases payable from allocated tax proceeds under subsection (b)(3) shall establish an allocation fund for the purposes specified in subsection (b)(3) and a special zone fund. Such a unit shall, until the end of the enterprise zone phase out period, deposit each year in the special zone fund the amount in the allocation fund derived from property tax proceeds in excess of those described in subsection (b)(1) and (b)(2) from property located in the enterprise zone that exceeds the amount sufficient for the purposes specified in subsection (b)(3) for the year. A unit that has no obligations, bonds, or leases payable from allocated tax proceeds under subsection (b)(3) shall establish a special zone fund and deposit all the property tax proceeds in excess of those described in subsection (b)(1) and (b)(2) in the fund derived from property tax proceeds in excess of those described in subsection (b)(1) and (b)(2) from property located in the enterprise zone. The unit that creates the special zone fund shall use the fund, based on the recommendations of the urban enterprise association, for one (1) or more of the following purposes:
(1) To pay for programs in job training, job enrichment, and basic skill development designed to benefit residents and employers in the enterprise zone. The programs must reserve at least one-half (1/2) of the enrollment in any session for residents of the enterprise zone.
(2) To make loans and grants for the purpose of stimulating business activity in the enterprise zone or providing employment for enterprise zone residents in the enterprise zone. These loans and grants may be made to the following:
(A) Businesses operating in the enterprise zone.
(B) Businesses that will move their operations to the enterprise zone if such a loan or grant is made.
(3) To provide funds to carry out other purposes specified in subsection (b)(3). However, where reference is made in subsection (b)(3) to the allocation area, the reference refers for purposes of payments from the special zone fund only to that part of the allocation area that is also located in the enterprise zone.
(h) The state board of accounts and department of local government finance shall make the rules and prescribe the forms and procedures that they consider expedient for the implementation of this chapter. After each reassessment under a reassessment plan prepared under IC 6-1.1-4-4.2, the department of local government finance shall adjust the base assessed value one (1) time to neutralize any effect of the reassessment of the real property in the area on the property tax proceeds allocated to the redevelopment district under this section. After each annual adjustment under IC 6-1.1-4-4.5, the department of local government finance shall adjust the base assessed value to neutralize any effect of the annual adjustment on the property tax proceeds allocated to the redevelopment district under this section. However, the adjustments under this subsection may not include the effect of property tax abatements under IC 6-1.1-12.1, and these adjustments may not produce less property tax proceeds allocable to the redevelopment district under subsection (b)(3) than would otherwise have been received if the reassessment under the reassessment plan or annual adjustment had not occurred. The department of local government finance may prescribe procedures for county and township officials to follow to assist the department in making the adjustments.
(i) The allocation deadline referred to in subsection (b) is determined in the following manner:
(1) The initial allocation deadline is December 31, 2011.
(2) Subject to subdivision (3), the initial allocation deadline and subsequent allocation deadlines are automatically extended in increments of five (5) years, so that allocation deadlines subsequent to the initial allocation deadline fall on December 31, 2016, and December 31 of each fifth year thereafter.
(3) At least one (1) year before the date of an allocation deadline determined under subdivision (2), the general assembly may enact a law that:
(A) terminates the automatic extension of allocation deadlines under subdivision (2); and
(B) specifically designates a particular date as the final allocation deadline.
(j) If the commission adopts a declaratory resolution or an amendment to a declaratory resolution that contains an allocation provision and the commission makes either of the filings required under section 10(e) of this chapter after the first anniversary of the effective date of the allocation provision, the auditor of the county in which the unit is located shall compute the base assessed value for the allocation area using the assessment date immediately preceding the later of:
(1) the date on which the documents are filed with the county auditor; or
(2) the date on which the documents are filed with the department of local government finance.
(k) For an allocation area established after June 30, 2024, “residential property” refers to the assessed value of property that is allocated to the one percent (1%) homestead land and improvement categories in the county tax and billing software system, along with the residential assessed value as defined for purposes of calculating the rate for the local income tax property tax relief credit designated for residential property under IC 6-3.6-5-6(d)(3).
As added by Acts 1982, P.L.77, SEC.8. Amended by P.L.72-1983, SEC.8; P.L.393-1987(ss), SEC.7; P.L.37-1988, SEC.26; P.L.14-1991, SEC.23; P.L.41-1992, SEC.7; P.L.18-1992, SEC.27; P.L.2-1995, SEC.134; P.L.25-1995, SEC.89; P.L.85-1995, SEC.41; P.L.255-1997(ss), SEC.17; P.L.90-2002, SEC.479; P.L.4-2005, SEC.138; P.L.185-2005, SEC.38; P.L.216-2005, SEC.7; P.L.154-2006, SEC.77; P.L.146-2008, SEC.755; P.L.88-2009, SEC.14; P.L.182-2009(ss), SEC.406; P.L.203-2011, SEC.14; P.L.112-2012, SEC.56; P.L.149-2014, SEC.36; P.L.95-2014, SEC.5; P.L.87-2015, SEC.8; P.L.184-2016, SEC.32; P.L.180-2016, SEC.23; P.L.86-2018, SEC.345; P.L.214-2019, SEC.39; P.L.257-2019, SEC.126; P.L.156-2020, SEC.140; P.L.174-2022, SEC.72.