Throughout this week, the city of Bloomington will have meetings to discuss the proposed annexation plan. The city wants to incorporate nearly 10,000 acres around the outskirts of Bloomington into the city limits.
Most of this land is areas that have been planned for annexation for a while. The plan includes an area dubbed “the two mile fringe,” which has been labeled as intended for annexation on maps of the past. While controversial, this plan will ultimately benefit locals.
While this plan has been discussed for a while, there is still much work needed to be done for it to be final.
This is why the city council will be having meetings every day this week at the City Hall to discuss the proposed annexation, and contemplate grievances from citizens.
Many residents face this decision with mixed attitudes. The plan has both upsides and downsides. I, for one, think that this is a good plan but only if Bloomington city government lives up to the promises it is making.
The positives are that residents in the areas to be annexed would receive the services and benefits that the rest of Bloomington enjoys.
These services include everything from snow removal, to garbage and recycling pick up. Also, these areas will be part of the city’s fiber initiative. A plan to provide fiber internet to all of Bloomington.
However, many people living in these areas face this plan with apprehension. The land to be incorporated into Bloomington city limits will force residents living there to pay an additional property tax on top of their existing tax rate.
Last year, 2016, the Property tax in Bloomington was 0.85, and these people will have to pay this tax on top of other taxes, like the Monroe County Community School Corp. and the Monroe County Library.
However, there will be a one-year buffer period for new residents under this plan. If these ordinances pass, the annexation will go through in 2020, but the new property taxes will not be put into effect until 2021.
Beyond the standard Bloomington services, this plan will also allow the city to have more control over the continuous construction over interstate 69. John Hamilton, the mayor of Bloomington, stresses having more control over I-69 as a large perk of the annexation plan.
While raising taxes for citizens is never accepted with open arms, the taxes will provide many benefits to a wider range of citizens.
A consult evaluated the proposed tax plan and deemed that the city will receive little to no revenue, and that the costs will only be high enough to offset the expansion of Bloomington services.
This plan will benefit many people on the outskirts of Bloomington, allow the city to have more control over I-69 and allow land long intended to be annexed to become part of city limits. If the city can truly provide all of these services and benefits after annexation, this plan should go through.
sareynol@umail.iu.edu
