Dubois County is considering adding some outside help to its tax abatement process.
Currently the abatement committee consists of Dubois County Commissioner President Larry Vollmer, County Council President Greg Kendall and County Auditor Kathy Hopf. However, Dubois Councilwoman Becky Beckman would like to add between two to four taxpayers and/or small business owners who aren’t elected officials in an effort to increase diversity on the committee and add fresh perspectives.
“We (can) get people researching and deciding together, ‘Is this a win for the county and the taxpayer besides being a win for the business?’” Beckman said by phone on Thursday.
Beckman presented the idea to the commissioners at their regular meeting on Tuesday and Beckman noted she’s been working to formulate new angles to the county’s tax abatement process ever since it unanimously voted in January for a $846,000 equipment abatement for Temple-Inland’s box factory in St. Anthony. That abatement created no new positions and sparked questions among the council about the wisdom of handing out abatements that don’t create jobs.
Temple-Inland scored 47 points on its abatement grade — seven more points than necessary — and qualified the company for a 100 percent tax abatement in years one and two, 75 percent abatement in year three, 50 percent in year four and 25 percent in year five. Beckman considers bringing in outside help a way to amp up economic knowledge, especially if business owners are added to the committee.
She also said adding ordinary taxpayers will give the council a “better, more full picture.”
“I’m a big believer in that if people in the county want to volunteer or be a part of local government, (they) have much more expertise on some of this stuff than elected officials do,” Beckman said.
While the abatement committee might better represent the general public with non-elected officials on it, the committee doesn’t hold the power to grant or kill abatements. That power lies with the county council, although the committee would have the power to investigate abatements and make recommendations to the council on how to vote. It would act similarly to the economic development commissions that cities utilize. Before Beckman’s plan is approved, she will need to figure out who would appoint the outside help, how many additions there would be and how long term limits would last.
“When you take (some power) away from three elected officials and spread it,” Beckman said, “I think the general population would say, ‘Yeah, I like that better. I think that’s a better representation of me.’”
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