Capital Comments

Purdue ag economist of Larry DeBoer has been writing Capital Comments once a month for 25 years. Last month marked the 300th column. Let’s do one more, number 301. And let’s look back.

The Indiana General Assembly passed a bill to reform property taxes back in April. If the legislature makes no changes — a big if — we know what’s going to happen each year until 2031. Purdue ag economist, Larry DeBoer, predicts what the next six years of property taxes could look like.

The Indiana Constitution of 1851 had a very broad idea of what should be taxed by the property tax. Basically: tax everything. When the policy proved impractical, exemptions were added. It was the beginning of a trend. Purdue ag economist, Larry DeBoer, explains the most recent tax exemptions and how we got there.

It’s been hard to follow the many impositions, cancellations, negotiations and pauses in tariff policy. Purdue ag economist, Larry DeBoer, explains what tariffs are and how they might affect businesses and the consumer.Capital Comments reflects and contains agricultural economics Professor Emeritus Larry DeBoer’s analysis and views.

Indiana uses an assessment standard for property taxes called “market value in use.” The assessment is the value of the property decided by the county assessor for tax purposes. It’s a prediction of what the house could sell for, on the open market, if it continues in its current use. How much would a stranger pay for your house, if they want to live in it, and not convert it to some other purpose? Purdue ag economist, Larry DeBoer, explains.