Mount Carmel Mayor Joe Judge wants residents to know they will not see a property tax increase for the city's new aquatic center when their upcoming property tax bills arrive.
During Monday afternoon's Mount Carmel City Council meeting, Judge said he recently met with Wabash County Clerk Janet Will to review the impact of the 2024 referendum, in which voters within Mount Carmel's corporate city limits approved a proposed property tax increase to help fund the new aquatic center.
Despite voter approval of the referendum, Judge emphasized that no additional property taxes are being collected for the project.
The mayor explained that the bonds and interest section of the upcoming property tax bills will show a zero for the aquatic center, and no additional tax for the project is being collected elsewhere on those bills.
Judge said the city has received several calls from residents concerned about how the new facility would affect their property taxes.
He stressed that the aquatic center is currently receiving adequate funding to move forward without imposing the additional property tax.
Judge also noted that County Clerk Janet Will provided him with the finalized county tax report, which confirmed the zero amount under bonds and interest.
The mayor said the city remains committed to managing the aquatic center project responsibly while protecting taxpayers and keeping residents informed about how their tax dollars are being spent.
Judge concluded by thanking the community for its continued support as construction continues on the new Mount Carmel Aquatic Center.