CONCERNED CITIZENS FORM UNITED FRONT TO OPPOSE HUNTINGTON ANNEXATION EFFORTS

Article Contributed by Justin Wall

Huntington Citizens Against ANnexation (“HCAAN”) formed to battle against “East Annexation” proposal of Huntington City government.

A group of citizens of Huntington County are concerned about the proposed “East Annexation” plan recently announced by the City of Huntington. Local citizens have formed Huntington Citizens Against Annexation (“HCAAN”) to raise community awareness of the city’s annexation efforts and to voice their opposition to these efforts.

Many issues related to annexation concern the members of HCAAN. First, members worry about the consequences of annexing this area without adding public safety manpower for the police and fire departments to adequately serve and protect the citizens and property in the affected area.[1]

Members of HCAAN also question whether “the territory sought to be annexed is needed and can be used by the municipality for its development in the reasonably near future,” as required by Indiana law.[2] This invites two distinct questions: 1) whether the City needs the annexed property; and 2) whether the city can effectively develop and use the property. While the City has developed a fiscal plan that appears to meet this statutory requirement, members of HCAAN wonder whether the City can afford this plan in light of the added infrastructure needed in the area to be annexed and the current economic conditions. HCAAN also questions whether the City actually needs to develop this land. Members of HCAAN wonder whether the City could find within its own territory, and at much lower cost, sufficient property for development. Developing existing City property would serve two purposes that the current annexation does not address. This would increase tax revenue from property for which the City already provides services and additionally would save the City the cost of extending services into the area to be annexed.

The members of HCAAN are also concerned about the specter of burgeoning property tax burdens on themselves as well as on the current residents of the city. Although the City’s proposal cites the “circuit breaker” protection against property tax increases,[3] the circuit breaker cannot protect property owners from increases in assessed value. Additionally, a change in state government could result in a repeal of this protection.

Finally, the timing of this ordinance and the speed at which the City must act to adopt this ordinance only increase the level of concern. Because the City must consider 2010 Census and statutory deadlines, the City has allowed very little time for citizens to become informed and to determine whether this proposal is in their best interests.

HCAAN will be holding an informational meeting on Thursday, August 21, 2008, at 6:30 P.M. at Hier’s Park Pavilion (next to the restrooms) for any member of the public who wishes to learn more about HCAAN’s efforts to oppose the City’s proposed annexation.

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[1] Notice of Public Hearing on Proposed Ordinance to Annex Certain Contiguous Real Estate to the City of Huntington, Indiana (East Annexation), Exhibit A, Page 4.

[2] See Indiana Code 36-4-3-13(c)(2)

[3] Notice of Public Hearing, Exhibit A, Page 9.