Mayor warns a 2028 state tax change could double-tax residents — city is exploring a workaround
How we attribute this: speaker_95 → Mayor Brandon Sakbun — delivers the "Communication from the Mayor" agenda item in full (park updates, warming-center funding, HEA 1017/MUST proposal) starting at [t=1835], but is never self-identified or directly addressed by name within a tagged segment in this transcript. Identity rests on role-consistency (performing the mayor's agenda item) and cross-meeting continuity with this vault's other records naming Brandon Sakbun as mayor.
Who it touches: Anyone who pays Vigo County income tax — the report being drafted this year could shape whether city and county tax bills stay combined or grow separately starting in 2028.
Mayor Brandon Sakbun told the council that under current state law, a 2028 change could let Vigo County start collecting its own separate income taxes — for things like a fire territory and a library — on top of the city's existing income tax, meaning city residents could end up taxed twice or three times for the same services.
He said the city is instead pushing for an option allowed under House Enrolled Act 1017, nicknamed the "MUST," where the county, city, and townships would agree on how to split one shared income tax instead of layering new ones.
The mayor said the state requires a non-binding local report recommending how that split should work, and that he'll email details next week asking the council to appoint two members to help write it.
Sources
- Mayor begins Communication from the Mayor0:30:35 (30 minutes 35 seconds)
- Mayor explains the MUST proposal0:32:25 (32 minutes 25 seconds)
- Mayor explains the double-taxation risk under current law0:33:29 (33 minutes 29 seconds)
- Mayor on the non-binding report to the state0:35:02 (35 minutes 2 seconds)
- Mayor on recruiting two council members for the task force0:35:37 (35 minutes 37 seconds)
Outcome
No vote taken; the mayor plans to ask council to appoint two members to a joint task force
No vote was taken. This was a planning update; the mayor said he will follow up by email and ask the council to name two members to a task force.
This summary was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor against the recording and documents linked above. Nothing publishes without a resolvable source.