Indy's property owners outcry Fort Wayne property owners just sigh

I vote for the second suggestion.

These are just some of the complaints and suggested fixes the commission has heard so far:

- Trending assessment rules are too complicated and being interpreted differently by assessors.

- There are too many assessors, primarily among the 1,008 elected township assessors, who need more training. Or let's just get rid of them and turn all local assessment duties to county government.

- Have assessors appointed instead of elected. That would take politics out of the system and reduce turnover that comes with elections.

- The state Department of Local Government Finance has been lax in its oversight of local assessments.

- New assessment rules are sound, there just needs to be more time to work out the kinks.

- Too many property tax breaks are given to business and industry, causing higher bills for homeowners.

Kenley said he came away from the first two meetings feeling exhausted. But he plans to keep plugging ahead, having more meetings devoted to specific aspects of the system before trying to come up with an overall master plan for change.

He and other commission members say no matter how difficult it will be to draft a plan that can pass the General Assembly, the effort must be made.

Rep. Jeff Espich of Uniondale, the fiscal leader for House Republicans, says more immediate tax relief for homeowners is needed this year. But bigger, long-lasting changes are needed, too.

"There is such an outcry ... that some substantive things have to happen," he said. "The public will not stand for and legislators will not allow it (the current system) to go on," Espich said.