Property tax bills in Starke County feature a new assessment this year for cleanup and maintenance of the Yellow River and Kankakee River after the legislation pertaining to the assessment was approved in 2019 by Governor Eric Holcomb.
The assessment was proposed by the Kankakee River Basin and Yellow River Basin Development Commission in 2019 with information held in several public meetings in Starke County and Marshall County concerning the assessment. During those meetings, Development Commission Executive Director Scott Pelath discussed water flow and erosion issues along the rivers, as well as flooding issues in other parts of the watershed that could be cleared up with better maintenance on the rivers in the watershed that extends eight counties including Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Marshall, Newton, Porter, St. Joseph, and Starke Counties. Money collected from the assessment will help pay for maintenance in the watershed.
The State of Indiana contributed $2.3 million to begin work to prevent erosion on the banks of the rivers, get water flowing more in the middle of rivers to prevent erosion and promote better water flow, and clear river banks of debris that may otherwise hinder the flow of water.
The assessments are listed as $7.00 per residential parcel, $1.00 per farm acre, $2.00 per undeveloped commercial acre, $50 per commercial parcel, and $360 per industrial or utility parcel.
Development Commission Executive Director Scott Pelath said the assessments will raise almost $3 million a year.
“The state estimate was that basin-wide they would generate about $2.9 million a year,” said Pelath. “Again, that’s an estimate. There’s always going to be changes in parcel usage, there’s always going to be certain amounts that are uncollectible for various reasons, and there’s going to be changes in the tax base of a county.”
Starke County Surveyor Bill Crase said not all Starke County residents will realize the assessment as two areas do not fall within the watershed.
Crase commented, “One of those is North Bend down by the area of State Road 23 and 900 E. That is part of the Tippecanoe Watershed. South of the North Judson area by the high school heading south is part of the Monon. The rest of Starke County falls within the Kankakee Watershed.”
More information on the work already completed and future plans will be presented during the Kankakee Valley Viewpoints program on Sunday, April 25 at noon CT.
Until then, residents with questions are asked to call 219-448-1728.
Starke County Treasurer Lauri Venckus said tax bills have been mailed and payments may be dropped off in the Treasurer’s Office in the Starke County Annex Building by May 10 to be considered on-time.
Payments can also be mailed to the office or deposited in the outside drop box. Several banking institutions will accept payments including 1st Source Bank, Demotte State Bank, and First Farmers Bank and Trust in Knox and North Judson; and the First National Bank of Monterey in North Judson and Monterey.
Residents wanting to pay online may visit http://lowtaxinfo.com/.
