Encouraging the Indiana State Legislature to Defeat House Bill 1412 & Senate Bill 326 Which Would Negatively Impact a Municipality's Ability to Annex

Home Browse Search

V bMOO, the South Bend Common Council notes that currently there are two measures pending before the Indiana State Legislature addressing a municipality's ability to annex; and '9QittMO, currently House Bill No. 1412 and Senate Bill No. 326 would impose additional barriers to cities and towns in their efforts to annex; and 'BQi63MAO, more specifically, House Bill No. 1412 would require the defeat of an annexation if a city or town has a significant outstanding financial liability; and Senate Bill No. 326 would require cities and towns who would annex territory to spend all of the additional tax revenue collected in the newly annexed territory only on those newly annexed areas; and Vbtr£88, the great State of Indiana contains 565 cities and towns and thousand of acres of unincorporated areas which are individually composed of a cross - section of people, backgrounds, incomes, geographic characteristics and other important components which help contribute to each community's pride and heritage; and Mbtregg, the South Bend Common Council believes that both Bills warrant additional study and further believes that they should be tabled or defeated at this time so that additional discussion and meetings of residents of incorporated and unincorporated areas can be held throughout the state in the effort to delicately balance the needs and concerns of all parties; and ' b4V4os, the City of South Bend, Indiana, believes that annexation can be a viable and important planning tool which could foster growth and economic development, especially to areas which need municipal water and sewer services to protect fragile environmental resources for our future generations. j2obl, 19nerdore, Oe Jt Orbs UO by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, as follows: Section I. The City of South Bend, Indiana, through its Common Council, urges the Indiana State Legislature to table or defeat House Bill No. 1412 and Senate Bill No. 326 which would impose additional barriers to cities and towns in their annexation efforts. Section II, The Common Council calls upon the Indiana State Legislature and Governor Frank O'Bannon to appoint a blue ribbon committee to study the issue of annexation. The Council further urges that a comprehensive written report be filed and made publicly available so that residents of incorporated and unincorporated areas can benefit from such facts and issues on the current annexation laws which are at best inconsistent and hamper meaningful development. Section III. The South Bend Common Council directs the City Clerk to send posthaste a certified copy of this Resolution, upon its adoption, to each of our area's State Senators and State Representatives, so that they can more effectively represent our views on this important issue. Section IV. This Resolution shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption 1,.. rho !'..........n ('mmp;1 and anrn'nval by thr 1Vtavnr_