Petition and Remonstrance

Watchdog Indiana Home Page Watchdog Lebanon Home Page

Owners of real property within a political subdivision or registered voters residing within a political subdivision can help protect themselves from unwise local bond issues by using the petition and remonstrance process. 

If a local bond issue is supported by property tax revenue and is more than the lesser of $2 million or 1 percent of the total gross AV of property within the political subdivision on the last assessment date ($1 million minimum), any combination of 100 owners of real property within the political subdivision or registered voters residing within the political subdivision can petition to initiate a petition and remonstrance process within 30 days of the notice of preliminary determination to issue the bonds. After 30 more days, supporters and opponents each gather petition signatures for another 30-day period of time. If a greater number of owners of real property within the political subdivision or registered voters residing within the political subdivision sign a petition opposing the bonds issue, the bonds issue is defeated and cannot be considered again for the next 12 months.  

A flow chart from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance describing the Petition and Remonstrance Process together with the pertinent Indiana Code citations can be found online at http://www.in.gov/dlgf/files/Flowchart-PetitionAndRemonstrance.pdf.

A Petition and Remonstrance Tool Kit from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance can be found online at http://www.in.gov/dlgf/newFiles/4FormsPackage_PetitionandRemonstranceToolKit.pdf.

Watchdog Indiana Home Page Watchdog Lebanon Home Page

This page was last updated on 09/28/12 .