Thursday, February 7, 2019

Indiana County Auditors attend AIC Legislative Conference

County auditors from throughout Indiana were among approximately 300 county officials who attended the Association of Indiana Counties' 2019 County Legislative Conference held in Indianapolis Feb. 5-6.

During the conference, county officials met with legislators to discuss local government issues and also attended AIC sessions that focused on legislative proposals that would have an impact on county government. The Indiana County Auditors' Association were among the AIC affiliate groups to host a break-out session, giving county auditors the opportunity to hear  legislative updates from the Association's Legislative Committee as well as from our legislative lobbyist, Mark Palmer.

During the break-out session, Indiana County Auditors' Association President Patty Ball thanked the legislative committee for all their hard work keeping track of the pending bills that affect county auditors. She also urged county auditors to contact their local state legislators to give their input on legislative matters.

The Auditors' Association is following a number of bills, including: H.B. 1436, which includes a variety of proposals that the Auditors' Association supports, including a requirement that homestead deductions are on single parcels, in turn encouraging parcel combinations and eliminating inefficiencies in the current process; H.B. 1010, which addresses changes to the Over-65 deduction and credit; H.B. 1033, which proposes changes to the LIT legislation; and H.B. 1025, which would double the state subsidy for county highway engineers.

State leaders who spoke at the conference included Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Auditor of State Tera Klutz, Secretary of State Connie Lawson, State Representative Phil GiaQuinta and State Senator Mark Messmer. Workshop topics included broadband infrastructure and marijuana legalization.

Below are some scenes from the AIC Legislative Conference and our Auditors' Association break-out session.

From left to right: ICAA vice-president Vicki Urbanik of Porter County, ICAA president Patty Ball of Daviess County, Indiana Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, ICAA treasurer Jennifer Flater of Clay County, and ICAA secretary Debbie Stevens of Warrick County.

Auditors' Association affiliate break-out session

Mark Palmer, legislative lobbyist for the Auditors' Association, addresses legislative proposals.

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch speaks to the AIC conference attendees.

Auditors' Association breakout session.
Nick Jordan, Allen County Auditor and Auditors' Association Legislative Committee Co-Chair, addresses legislative priorities for county auditors.

Auditors' Association break-out session.

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