Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 13 June 2003 — Page 4

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, JUNE 13,2003

IMPORTANT

Th(‘ Metropolitan I’lannini; ()r^ani/ation iMI’( )i invites your input on an amendment to tlie Indianapolis Regional Iranspoitation Plan. Tins dot ument pmvidr's planning support for federally lunded transport.ition projr'r Is proposed for oui region and is being amended to meet changing needs and schedules. The proposed amendment is in response to re(|iiests from the Indiana Department of Transportation and olhei regional agencies to modify certain projects i urrently in the Plan or to ,idd new proje( ts, including INDOT s Idid projec t. l or more information on when 1 and how to review and ( ommcnl on this amendment, between now and July 7th, see our legal Niotic e in today s paper.

bn moic iniomi.iliiip on li.inspoitation pl.mmin;, i .ill l 1- ’, I 4J oi \ isit vvvvw.indvuov.oig ind\ nipo. 'v

TAX CREDIT

► Continued from Page 1

says Julie Kruse of the Chicago- certification requirements, and based Center for Economic s *S net ^ on a letter to the IRS Progress, which provides volun- protesting the plan. “These are teer tax preparation for low-in- not megabuck multi-national corcome filers. “T he IRS says they porations but real people, Ameriare tiring to build a sieve to keep cans w ! 10 t l 0 no ^ h ave high priced out ineligible filers, but we feel tax consultants and accountants,”

they are building a wall that will keep a lot of eligible people from getting the credit they are entitled

to."

Why would Bush want to build this wall? Recent Congressional changes to the EITC program simplifies the application process, which Bush administration officials admit should reduce the

Carson says. “It is cruelly foolish to try to discourage them from making use of this benefit by rais-

ing curtains of red tape.” Critics are also upset that the

Bush administration plans to impose the pre-audit were made in complete secrecy. “There is no official commitment by the IRS to even allow a public comment

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EITC error rate. The IRS already period on this change,” Kruse says audits EITC taxpayers at twice We are saying that there should the rate of other taxpayers. And some dialogue with Congress most of the U.S. tax revenue lost an ^ the public before going for-

to fraud is certainly not attribut- war ^ "^h this,

able to the working poor. Oneofthe most galling aspects “While the audit rate of wealthy the Bush proposal is that it is people has declined, fflpercent of certain to exacerbate the real returns showing incomes over misreporting tragedy of the tax

HOMEOWNERS > Continued from Pag* 1

$100,000 claim deductions that the IRS cannot verify,” says Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y, the ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, which writes the federal tax code. “Big corporations have avoided paying millions of taxes using complex loopholes, many of which

credit program: People who need and deserve the credit don’t get it. According to the U.S. General Accounting Office, 4.3 million EITC-eligible taxpayers erroneously don’t claim or receive the

credit.

The Indianapolis Asset Building Campaign is part of a national

turn out to be illegal. Yet the Bush effort to help encourage working administration does not require P aren ^ s t0 claim the tax credit, precertification of records for Campaign coordinator Allison

wealthy or big business taxpayers as they do for EITC filers.” U.S. Rep. Julia Carson, a Democrat from Indianapolis, is joining Rangel in sponsoring a bill to block Bush’s proposed pre-

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Luthe says that the Bush proposal will put up an unwanted barrier to their efforts. “One of our goals is to reach people who are not filing returns because they don’t realize they qualify for the credit,” Luthe says. “We are worried this is going to potentially discourage

people from applying.”

BRIEFS

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The loss of your loved one is difficult enough...

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► Continued from Page 1 the agency's housing police on patrol in the city’s ppublic housing communities. The CityCounty Council voted unanimously Tuesday evening to allocate the funds, which come out of the City Cumulative Capital Development Fund. Due to federal budget cuts within HUD in 2002, the housing police departement was scheduled to run out of funding by July 1. “With the city's help, we have a chance to dig ourselves out of a discouraging situation," said Rufus "Bud" Myers, executive director. "The additional funding allows us to switch things around and ultimately keep housing in the hands of people who really need it."

Center Township Assessor James Maley. based on cost to rebuild, while the new system is based on market value or what the property is worth if it was sold. In the past, residents who had been in a home for a long time did not have property taxes increased because the depreciation value of the property was increasing. “The older homes are selling for as much as the newer homes now,”said Center Township Reassessment Chief Ernie Clark. The court order mandate requires that the assessments be within 10 percent of the average sale price. Tax biU delay Duringa regular property tax year, tax bills are due every six months, normally around May 10 and Nov. 10. With the reassessment this year, Marion County’s tax bill payment will be due on July 10, with a 10 percent penalty for any remaining balances after the due date. “Reassessment was running behind, and the delay with tax rates, but the process as a whole took longer than what everybody, including the state, thought that it would,” said

Clark.

Every township was required to sit down and reassess every property in their district. CenterTownship has approximately 53,000 residential properties in the township, making it thelargest in Marion County. Tax bills are currently being j printed and stuffed into envej lopes. “Since tax bills go out by zip codes, the lower zip codes will get theirs next Tuesday,” said Clark. “We are actually the fifth county in the state to be prepared and ready for reassess-

ment. I don’t feel bad at all (about the delay), especially given the sophistication and how difficult Marion County is. I feel the assessors have done a very good job,” said Marion County Auditor Martha Womacks. The appeal process “If taxpayers do not feel that their property is worth what we have assessed it, then they should appeal,” said Maley. “There is relief, and this is not the end of the road.” A Form 130 - Petition to the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals for Review of Assessment - is the first step in the appeal process. The department of local government finance will then review the application and schedule a hearing within 45 days of receiving the taxpayer application. Form 133 - Petition for Correction of Error, is another form that is necessary upon finding assessment error in previous years. “It will be a lengthy process, but you will be scheduled for a hearing and we will then be able to look at the error and possibly make corrections,” said Maley. Taxpayers should gather evidence before their hearing with the board or review such as sales figures in their neighborhoods. Homeowner exemptions Property taxpayers are entitled to deductions from their taxes and these exemptions should be filed with the Marion County Auditor. The two most common exemptions are the homestead credit and mortgage exemption. If you own a home or are buying on a recorded contract, and use your home as your primary place of residence then you are eligible for a homestead exemption. If you are buying property on a recorded mortgage or a recorded contract then you are eligible for a mortgage exemption. “Based on the new Center Township tax rates, the homestead exemption is worth about $900 in savings to the taxpayer. The mortgage exemption is worth about $75,” said Womacks. For more information about property taxes contact the Marion County Treasurer at 327-4444. For information on reassessment contact your township assessor. For information on filing appeals or homeowner deductions contact the Marion County Auditor at 327-4646.

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By TASHAWNA WILLIAMS Recorder Intern It is rare to find college students who will openly admit that they have no concern for the future of education. Yet, fewer students are entering the teaching profession each year. The teaching shortage has been called a national crisis. According to experts, by the year 2010 there will be a need for 2.2 million teachers. Aware of this national crisis, Indiana is one of many states adopting alternative recruiting methods. One new program is Transition to Teaching, which started in June 2002 and is attracting students from all walks of life. The program allows professionals to return to school to receive a license to teach. The program has two divisions - Elementary Transition toTeaching, grades K-5, and Secondary Transition toTeaching, grades 6-12. John Housefield, a graduate from Marian College’s first Elem T to T program, was a former flight attendant and salesman. He was dissatisfied with those jobs, and decided to pursue other areas of interest. “I was youth minister at a church in Pike Township and I enjoyed working with youth,” said Housefield of his reason for pursuing teaching. Housefield now holds a general elementary education license. Twenty-four credit hours are required to graduate from Elem T to T and 1H credit hours are required to graduate from SecT

to T. “Students may also use the credits earned towards a master’s degree in teaching,” stated Dr. Beth Berghoff, director of education at Indiana University/Purdue University. Dr. Thelma Davis, director of master of arts at the University of Indianapolis explained that the credits must be earned in specific areas, so that the students are equipped to be professional teachers. “(The program) is designed to guide the students to be caring and competent teachers,"said Davis. She further explained that the classroom is typically made up of 10 to 15 students who have the same professors, materials, and a combination of field and clinical practice Davis described the type of students that enter the program. “They are committed to education, they sacrifice their time and their finances, (sometimes) jobs.” She also stated that most of these students pay out of pocket and are able to apply for graduate student loans. Both programs usually last a little over a year. T to T is designed to be fast, not easy. “Our program is very rigorous," Cheryl Hcrtzer, Project Bridge director at Marian College, stated. She explained that the students still have to take the Praxis exam that includes reading, writing and mathematics, and they must show the same assessment skills as traditional undergraduates. Students also

have hands-on experience where they work with students in the classroom, similar to student teaching. “The intent (of the program) is to cram fouftyears of information into one year, it was the most difficult experience that I ever had,"said Housefield. Although he acknowledged the challenge of T to T, he has no regrets. “Anyone who feels a calling and a true commitment to teaching should bring their diverse experience... it will add excitement to the classroom,” he said. After, graduation, students are ready to teach in any elementary or secondary school of their choice. “Students (in Transition to Teaching) have to apply for a (teaching) job like everyone else,” stated Hertzer, “but we try to support and work with them.” Hertzer said that the mandatory English as a second language training, gave graduates more qualifications. Many graduates are considering Indianapolis Public Schools because they have a greater need for teachers with ESL training and they have a lower teacher retention rate. Housefield said he has already done several interviews at various schools, but he has not made a choice. Housefield is content with his new career choice, but he also shared his apprehensions. “I hope that (traditional) teachers embrace us and we are seen as a part of a team that has an awesome responsibility.”