La Porte County delays action on 0.2-point EMS income tax increase, orders efficiency study

La Porte County Council held a public hearing Oct. 16 on a proposed 0.2 percentage-point increase in the county's local income tax that would dedicate revenue to emergency medical services (EMS). Dozens of residents and elected officials spoke, many urging the council to pursue transparency and internal efficiencies before approving new taxes.

The proposal would raise the county's total local income tax to 1.65% from the current 1.45% if adopted; several speakers questioned whether the increase is necessary and asked for additional financial detail to be posted online. "The proposed increase would put our local income tax rate at 1.65%," said Jim Marseille, a resident, recounting the change in countywide levies and urging improved transparency and longer-range financial projections.

Tom Dermody, speaking as a local elected official, asked the council to "please hold off on the 0.2 increase" and urged broader collaboration with cities, townships and school districts before moving forward. County Commissioner Joe Haney said if the county adopts a dedicated EMS levy, it should include "ironclad language to avoid past mistakes, mandate that every dollar raised creates new spending, firewalled directly for new EMS enhancements, and with transparent reporting."

The hearing also drew sustained criticism of prior council oversight. Timothy Stavos, who served as La Porte County auditor from 2021 to 2024, criticized earlier budget decisions and argued the council had not pursued systematic efficiency or revenue-capture reviews: "This body is subject to serious, if not dire, criticism for its negligence in running the county the last 5 years," Stavos said, urging the council to demonstrate fiscal reforms before raising taxes.

Council members responded by largely endorsing the need for a formal efficiency review and greater transparency. Several councilors said packet materials and budget documents should be posted online. At the meeting's close the council voted to direct the auditor to present prospective consulting firms and to develop a council-scoped request for proposals for an independent efficiency study under the council's purview. The motion to pursue the study was moved by Randy Novak and seconded; the council voted in favor.

Procedurally, the council also read Ordinance 2025-10, "Ordinance modifying local income tax rates, La Porte County," by title to preserve statutory timelines for further action. That title-only reading does not adopt the ordinance; it allows the county to meet statutory notice requirements so the proposal remains eligible for future consideration. One council member voiced opposition during the title-only vote.

Financial details discussed during the hearing included repeated references to the prior 2022 public safety local income tax (a 0.5-point increase) and the assertion from staff that the EMS levy under discussion would generate approximately $5,100,000 in revenue, with about $2,100,000 cited as available for salary increases in EMS. Several residents and officials urged the council to explore alternatives such as fee reviews, shared services and attrition before approving a tax increase.

The council instructed staff to return with a scope and candidate firms for an independent efficiency study and indicated the study's results would inform any further consideration of the EMS levy. No final ordinance was adopted at the Oct. 16 meeting; the title reading preserves the option for the council to act at a subsequent meeting consistent with statutory timelines.