Tippecanoe Township Advisory Board Member Mark Lawson and Township Trustee Chris Francis review the proposed 2025 budget for the township at Tuesday’s council meeting. Photo by Deb Patterson.

By Deb Patterson
InkFreeNews

NORTH WEBSTER — The first reading of the Tippecanoe Township 2025 budget demonstrated taxpayers could eventually see a decrease in tax rates for both the township and fire territory.

Chris Francis, township trustee, read through the budget, providing Jim Rhodes and Mark Lawson actual numbers vs. advertised numbers.

He stated the budget is under levy.

The township’s general fund, advertised at $558,754, which includes the local income tax, is actually $169,350. This provides a tax rate of $.0115 compared to the advertised rate of $.0136.

No money was budgeted for the township assistance fund. Francis noted he has two years worth of cash ($16,250), which will be used for that fund. So far this year, $5,720 has been used from the fund.

The recreation fund to raise $3,000 was advertised at $.0003; however, Francis stated it will actually be $.0002.

Looking at the fire territory budget, Francis noted the rate was advertised at $.1412, but in actuality it will be $.12 to raise funds for the $2,144,800 budget. The equipment replacement fund, which is rate driven, will remain at $.0333.

“I tried to get as creative as possible,” Francis said of the budget, while keeping a buffer. He stated the township budget is under levy approximately $15,000, while the fire territory budget is approximately $202,305 under the max levy. Overall the rate is 2 cents under.

It was noted the township’s assessed valuation did increase.

The budget will be adopted at the Oct. 15 council meeting.

During other matters in the brief meeting, Francis provided an update on work at the cemeteries. It was stated that last year he removed 15 loads of brush from the North Webster cemetery. It all came back, including sumac. He will be using funds to have that area on the north and east ends sprayed.

Original markers were also located under that brush.