Property taxes shouldn't go up, but rates are unknown

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - The property tax rate for West Lafayette residents and business owners is not supposed to go up, but for now, it remains unknown.

The City Council held a public hearing for the 2013 budget Tuesday evening.

Next year's budget is slated to go up 9.2 percent, helped by savings from this year's budget.
    
City officials said the county auditor won't send out tax rate numbers until mid-October. 

Clerk-Treasurer Judy Rhodes said it will still vary for each taxpayer.

"What a taxpayer pays, not so much depends on the tax rate anymore. It very much is impacted by the assessment of their property and their circuit breaker deducts," said Rhodes.

The city council will cast a final vote on the 2013 budget at a meeting on October 1.

Rhodes said the budget could be set before the council knows how much tax rates will be.
    
At last month's meeting, Mayor John Dennis said the budget won't require a raise in taxes.