Porter County has now moved closer to getting its 2009 tax bills out.

The county auditor’s office sent the certified net assessed values to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance this morning. The DLGF’s online status map was quickly updated to show that the county has moved to the next step in the tax billing process.

DLGF Communication Specialist Amanda Stanley said with the assessed value data now turned in from the county, the DLGF will review the 2009 budgets and issue preliminary tax rates. Local taxing units will then receive what’s known as the Form 1782, which contains their preliminary budget, levy and tax rate data. Taxing units then have a two-week period to review the data, although the law does allow a waiver of this review time if all the taxing units agree.

After that review, the DLGF will issue final budget orders, clearing the way for the county to proceed with the tax bills.

Stanley said if there are no problems, the DLGF has a goal of issuing the budget order by Nov. 6.

According to the DLGF status map, only two other Indiana counties are now farther behind Porter County in the issuance of the 2009 tax bills.

Posted 10/13/2009