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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJoint Resolution Between City of South Bend and South Bend Community School Corp. Jointly Opposing Legislation Reducing or Elminating Business Personal Property TaxesAttes RESOLUTION 4321 -14 Passed by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana February 10, 14 20 . Presented by me to the Mayor of the City of South Bend, Indiana _ February 11, 20 14 City Clerk dent of Common Council u Approved and signed by me ff9944,40`/ 13 20 I J . City Clerk 0 i RESOLUTION NO. 32-1 —t A JOINT RESOLUTION BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA AND THE SOUTH BEND COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION JOINTLY OPPOSING LEGISLATION REDUCING OR ELIMINATING BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES WITHIN THE STATE OF INDIANA WHEREAS, Governor Michael R. Pence and other Indiana legislative leaders have proposed the elimination of the Business Personal Property Tax; and WHEREAS, proponents of the elimination have consistently affirmed that the Business Personal Property Tax is a hindrance to the business climate in Indiana, yet numerous publications consistently rank Indiana 1 st in the Midwest in Business Climate and Top 10 in the Nation in Business Tax Climate from the non - profit Tax Foundation; and WHEREAS, Governor Pence stated in a January 10th jobs announcement, "Today's announcement continues to prove why Indiana is the best state in the nation to start or grow a business "; and WHEREAS, it is estimated the loss of revenue to the City of South Bend would be approximately $8,000,000 and would necessitate significant cuts to police, fire, public works, parks and recreation and other essential City service departments; and WHEREAS, if the elimination were to take place, the South Bend Community School Corporation estimates its total revenue loss would be approximately $3,413,000. Necessary cuts to transportation, bus replacement, school building maintenance and technology upgrades would all follow; and WHEREAS, the City of South Bend firmly believes that quality of life amenities and economic development go hand -in -hand as our residents require essential and community services that are paid for from Business Personal Property Taxes; and WHEREAS, the statewide elimination of the Business Personal Property Tax would significantly harm economic development efforts locally where South Bend has seen significant economic growth and continues to be a leader in Indiana. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA AND THE SOUTH BEND COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION AS FOLLOWS: SECTION I: The City of South Bend, Indiana, and the South Bend Community School Corporation stand firmly opposed to any attempts which would diminish the revenue collected from the Business Personal Property Tax without a stable and equal revenue stream to replace the lost dollars and urge our local legislators to vote agains SECTION II: This Resolution Common Council and approval by the pRESINI'ED .2- -1.� —� ,FIOT APPROVED "OPTED 3assage by the CITY OF SOUTH BEND PETE BUTTIGIEG, MAYOR OFFICE OF THE MAYOR February 5, 2014 Mr. Oliver Davis President, South Bend Common Council 4th Floor County City Building South Bend, IN 46601 Re: Resolution Opposing the reduction or elimination of the business personal property tax Dear President Davis: Currently two bills are making their way through our state legislature regarding the proposed reduction or phased out elimination of the business personal property tax here in Indiana. If either of these bills were to be signed by the Governor as passed they would cause serious damage to our local budgets. The state legislative service estimates that revenue losses from total elimination of the business personal property tax to the City of South Bend would be on the order of $8,000,000 and on the order of $3,413,000 for our schools. Revenue losses of that magnitude would necessitate cuts to public safety, public works, parks and recreation, and other essential city departments. It would also force our schools to cut and scale back things like planned technology upgrades, bus and transportation services, and school building maintenance. These cuts would be disastrous without a state guaranteed source of replacement revenue. Neither of the bills currently under consideration provides adequately for this replacement revenue. For these reasons I urge the Common Council and South Bend Community School Board to pass this joint resolution and speak with one voice on our need to maintain high quality services for the City of South Bend. I will present this Resolution to the Council at its Committee meeting and at the full Council regular meeting. -- Sincerely, so °y° Pete Buttigieg, Mgt City of South Bend Filed in Clerk's 00 Lif14 CITY CLERK, SOUTH SEND, Its 1400 COUNTY -CITY BUILDING . 227 W. JEFFERSON BOULEVARD. SOUTH BEND, INDIANA 46601 PHONE 574/235 -9261 • FAx 574/235 -9892 • TTY 574/235 -5567 TO THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND: Your Committee of the Whole, to whom was referred: BILL NO. 14 -13 A JOINT RESOLUTION BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA AND THE SOUTH BEND COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION JOINTLY OPPOSING LEGISLATION REDUCING OR ELIMINATING BUSINESS PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES WITHIN THE STATE OF INDIANA Respectfully report that they have examined the matter and that in their opinion, this bill is being recommended to the full Council with no recommendation due to running out of time. This bill was heard by the Community Investment Committee. Valerie Schey Chairperson, Committee of the Whole