Bartholomew commissioners approve capital projects plan

Bartholomew County Commissioners are outlining their plans for local income tax dollars to be spent on capitol improvement projects.

Commissioners President Larry Kleinhenz said that the commissioners are required to outline how the funds will be spent from County Economic Development Income Tax revenues. The commissioners have an agreement with the County Council that the money for capital improvement projects will come from the income tax revenues, where the money used to be funded through the county general fund paid for by property taxes.

The county generates about $1.2 million a year for capital projects from the income taxes. But the two-year plan for 2024 and 2025 outlined about $7.4 million in projects and expenses. Kleinhenz said that was because money has been set aside for some projects already, or projects will be paid for as they progress.

Among the expenses outlined was $500,000 a year toward the county highway garage bonds, $800,000 for the northern gateway infrastructure project in the Taylorsville area, $400,000 for county parks improvements and up to half a million a year for both years for county road projects. The money is also used to pay for the county’s two seats on the Greater Columbus Indiana Economic Development Corporation board.

The commissioners approved their two-year plan this week.