Owen County approves five‑year personal property abatement for Henry Holsters after public hearing

Owen County commissioners and council members voted to approve a five-year business personal property tax abatement for Henry Holsters, following a public hearing in which company representatives outlined a major equipment investment and local hiring plans.

Company representatives told the board they had purchased and received most major pieces of equipment for a new manufacturing line and had already hired three full-time employees since the prior meeting. The applicant said its total investment related to the project exceeds $1.4 million and that the immediate equipment spend is roughly three-quarters of a million dollars.

County staff and a review committee had recommended an eight-year abatement after scoring the application; during the hearing several commissioners said current changes in state law created uncertainty about future local tax revenue. Commissioners discussed Senate Bill 1 and other recent legislative amendments that increase business personal property exemptions and change depreciation rules, which some said could reduce future county revenue or render long abatements less meaningful.

After debate, the council moved to reduce the abatement period to five years and adopt a stepped schedule of 80%, 60%, 40%, 20% and 0% (commonly described at the meeting as "180, 60, 40, 20"). The applicant supported a shorter period as a compromise; the owner said the abatement would help the business absorb supply-chain and tariff-related cost increases and support planned hiring. The motion to approve the abatement and authorize a resolution reflecting the five-year schedule passed by voice vote.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to approve Henry Holsters business personal property abatement with a five-year phased schedule (80/60/40/20/0) — motion carried. (Mover: Anton; second: Steve/Daniel; formal roll-call not recorded.) - Motion to adopt and authorize the president to sign the abatement resolution, contingent on the five-year schedule — motion carried.

Ending: County staff said the resolution will be finalized to reflect the five-year schedule and will be signed by the president when ready. Officials noted that changes in state law remain a variable that could change the long-term fiscal effect of abatements and said they considered the shorter schedule a compromise to offer targeted relief while limiting long-term exposure.