New Carlisle neighbors see major property tax spike

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind.-- Some homeowners near New Carlisle are set to meet this weekend with the St. Joseph County assessor to voice their concerns about skyrocketing property valuations, and the higher taxes that come along with them.

ABC57 brought you this story last year, when property taxes spiked in the Olive Township area. The neighbor interviewed then has since moved away from New Carlisle, saying he got priced out of his own neighborhood.

Friday, ABC57's Annie Kate spoke with another neighbor to see how much his taxes are increasing.

"This subdivision, everybody's pissed," said Jim Taylor.

Taylor lives in the Stone Oaks Estates subdivision just outside of New Carlisle, and for him, his property tax assessment just isn't adding up.

His home was assessed to be worth $298,500 for 2023, but his most recent tax assessment values his home at $388,200 for 2024. Taylor says he's made no changes to his house.

This is a roughly $90,000 increase in property value over one year, meaning Taylor is getting billed over a thousand dollars extra in property taxes. And he's not alone, many of his neighbors in Olive Township are seeing similar spikes, proven by public property records.

"The proof's in the pudding," Taylor said. "You've got people who have left this subdivision that can't afford the property taxes. You've got houses that are sitting here empty because they can't afford the gazillion-dollar price tags on these things."

What's more, Taylor tried to appeal last year's property taxes, and that appeal was never completed before he got this more recent and much higher assessment.

"Just from last year alone, you've got a $1,300 increase on property taxes, but the appeals haven't been processed," he said.

He said the math isn't adding up, and he and his neighbors want answers.

"We're all talking," he said.

This Sunday, April 13, neighbors from the Stone Oaks Estates subdivision have a meeting planned with St. Joseph County Assessor Michael Castellon. They're meeting at the New Carlisle Public Library at 2 p.m. Eastern time.

Castellon did not respond to ABC57's request for comment Friday.