TODAY’S WEATHER Saturday, May 6, 2017 Today: Morning showers. Mostly cloudy afternoon. Sheridan, Noblesville, Cicero, Arcadia, Tonight: Partly cloudy. Atlanta, Carmel, Fishers, Westfield LIKE & FOLLOW US! HIGH: 57 LOW: 36 Hamilton County Hamilton County’s Hometown Newspaper www.ReadTheReporter.com Reporter Facebook.com/HamiltonCountyReporter Cicero, Oath Keepers donate to Sheriff Photo provided Hamilton County Oath Keepers (HCOK), in partnership with the American Legion Post 341 in Cicero, recently donated items to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department. The items included medical and life-saving gear sheriff’s deputies can carry on their persons, training aids for K-9 units and tactical gear. The donation totaled approximately $1,300 in equipment. Pictured: Hamilton County Sheriff Mark Bowen and seven deputies along with members of the Hamilton County Oath Keepers group. Town of Cicero hires Plan Commission Director The REPORTER C.J. began his role as Plan Commission The Town of Cicero has hired C.J. Tay- Director on April 24 and he will be respon- lor as the new Cicero/Jackson Township Plan sible for policy development, program plan- Commission Director. Prior to joining the ning, procedural development, administration Town in his new role, he served as the Chief and operational direction of the Plan Commis- Wastewater Operator for the Cicero Streets sion to achieve annual department goals and and Utility Department for the past 12 years. objectives. He will also serve as the liaison for Dan Strong, Cicero Plan Commission Presi- the Plan Commission, Board of Zoning Ap- dent, served as the interim Director for the past peals (BZA), and the Town Council. six months while the Town Council searched “I appreciate everything that I have for the best candidate for this position. learned while working as the Chief Waste- “We are very grateful to Dan for stepping water Operator for the Streets and Utility De- in to fill the role as the interim Plan Commis- partment and I look forward to beginning this sion Director to make for a smooth transition new challenge as the Cicero/Jackson Town- for the Town’s new Director,” stated Chad ship Plan Commission Director,” stated C.J. Amos, Town Council President. “We be- “The Town is uniquely situated and there are lieve that C.J. will be a great leader for the many opportunities to strengthen the commu- Plan Commission and that his knowledge and nity and economic development of Cicero and experience will support the Town’s plans for I look forward to working with everyone on future growth and development of the com- keeping this a great place to live, work, and Photo provided munity.” visit.” C.J. Taylor is the new Cicero/Jackson Township Plan Commission Director. The County Line Mental health awareness was focus at Fishers event By LARRY LANNAN Understand property tax tending www.LarryInFishers.com By FRED SWIFT increased. Some others got notice given property, but mistakes are rare The Hamilton Southeastern Schools have been an Usually prop- that their assessments were reduced. because assessing officials have pret- integral part of the Mental Health Initiative launched erty tax assess- Others got no notice which means ty good information. by Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, and that cooperation ment is a dull their AV did not change. If a homeowner feels there is was on display at Riverside Intermediate School (RSI) subject that cre- Property assessments in Indiana something wrong with his or her as- Wednesday night. ates little interest, are subject to what's called annual sessment they may appeal. Appeals The event was called “Journey of the Heart, Mind but then, once a "trending" which is designed to keep go to the County Assessor's office & Soul.” It featured tables staffed by area organiza- year the assessor information current and avoid huge which then has township officials tions. There were also breakout groups of parents sends out a notice increases in values which used to review the situation. If a township discussing issues such as Suicide Prevention Social of individual as- show up every 10 years when there assessing official cannot find errors Media. sessment to those was a general reassessment. or reasons to change values, the ap- Mayor Fadness spoke to the entire group, explain- property owners whose assessed val- Trending is a method of using the peal goes to the Property Tax Board ing how his initiative is aimed at combating depres- ues, known as AV, have changed. sales prices of comparable homes in of Appeals where a property owner sion and preventing students from harming themselves All of a sudden there is great in- a neighborhood or subdivision to es- is offered the opportunity to present while suffering from mental illness. Fishers Fire Chief terest among those who got notice tablish current values. There can be Steve Orusa talked about his role in spearheading the last week that their assessment has mistakes in establishing value on a See Tax . Page 2 city’s mental health program. 2 News TODAY’S BIBLE VERSE And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven Get ready to get him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. Matthew 12:32 NICE and creative The REPORTER four selected classic literary passages. The 3rd Annual Noblesville Interdis- This year's selections are from: An- ciplinary Creativity Expo (NICE) is in imal Farm (George Orwell), All Quiet October and our first creative workshop on the Western Front (Erich Maria Re- coming up on May 16. marque), Harlem (Langston Hughes), This workshop focuses on the Har- and Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young lem Renaissance, Jazz, Jazz Poetry, al- Girl (Anne Frank). Our two-night NICE legory, anthropomorphism, and other event is an “anything goes” artistic expo exciting inspirations from two of our ~ participants share their inspired cre- selections, Animal Farm and the poem ations ~ music, art, poetry, dance, perfor- Harlem. mance, sculpture, and anything else. The second workshop in August fo- They usually host a couple work- cuses on two other selections. shops in the months leading up to the NICE is one of the annual Signature two-night NICE event (Oct. 6, 7), and Events at Logan Street Sanctuary. The their first workshop is May 16, focusing brainchild of author Sarah E. Morin and on the Harlem Renaissance, Jazz, Jazz artist/author Alys Caviness-Gober, NICE Poetry, allegory, anthropomorphism, and offers artists of all kinds the opportunity other exciting inspirations from Animal to create artwork inspired by each year’s Farm and the poem Harlem. TAX from Page 1 evidence to support his or her position. one percent is applied to a changing, and Any changes made in this year's usually increasing, assessment. trending will be effective for 2018 taxes. In addition, those tax levies approved The whole subject of property taxes by voter referendum come in addition and the assessments on which they are to the one percent cap. So, if a taxpayer based is confusing the many people. The lives in a school district that has adopted public, for example, is told that taxes can an additional rate of 25 cents per $100 of be no higher than one percent of the as- AV, taxes can exceed the one percent of a sessed value of their property. But, that property's assessed value. You’re reading the BEST newspaper in Hamilton County! Views 3 On “529 Day,” think about smart college savings plans By COREY SYLVESTER 529 plan offered by any state, even if you Cicero Edward Jones don’t reside there. If you do invest in your own state’s plan, you may be eligible for You probably state income tax incentives. won’t see it on your Also, all withdrawals from 529 plans calendar, but May 29 will be free from federal income taxes, as (5/29) is 529 College long as the money is used for a qualified Savings Day, or 529 college or graduate school expense of the Day for short. This beneficiary you’ve named — typically, day, named after the your child or grandchild. (Withdrawals for 529 plan, a popular expenses other than qualified education college-savings ve- expenditures may be subject to federal and hicle, is designed to promote people’s state taxes and a 10% penalty on the earn- awareness of the need to save and invest ings portion of the distribution.) for the high costs of higher education. And Furthermore, you have complete con- that need has never been greater. Consider trol of your 529 plan assets. You decide the following: who will get the money and when he or College prices keep moving up. Col- she will get it. You can even change the lege costs just keep rising. For the 2016– beneficiary to another family member. 2017 school year, the average cost (tuition, Keep in mind, though, that your 529 fees, room and board) was about $20,000 plan will be counted on the Free Appli- for in-state students at public universities cation for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and more than $45,000 for private schools, although schools typically only consider according to the College Board. These up to 5.6% of parental assets when calcu- costs are likely to continue climbing. lating financial aid. And distributions from Student debt is at record levels. Of a parent-owned 529 account used for one the Class of 2016 graduates who received year’s college expenses will not usually loans – about 70% of the total student reduce next year’s financial aid eligibil- population – the average individual debt ity.