Sec. 17. (a) This section provides for the assessment of benefits and damages to property within the automated transit district. For the purpose of providing all or part of the cost of payment of principal and interest on bonded indebtedness, and expenses of planning, construction, operation, maintenance, and repair of the automated transit system and related parking facilities and services after the completion of the same, including as a part of such cost the general expenses of the commission, the commission may make an annual assessment of benefits and damages. The assessment shall be against the site value of the lands only.

(b) The commission shall annually prepare a schedule which describes each tract of land in the district that it determines to be benefited by the automated transit system, and states the percentage of the total benefit that is received by each tract of land. In order to prepare this schedule, the commission shall appoint three (3) disinterested persons, who are licensed real estate brokers or appraisers licensed under IC 25-34.1 who are residents of Indiana, as appraisers to make an examination of the property within the improvement district. One (1) of the persons appointed under this subsection must reside not more than fifty (50) miles from the property. Upon request from the appraisers, the commission may retain or employ qualified personnel to render any necessary technical or consulting assistance, and may supply the appraisers with any information available or obtainable which will assist in making the assessment. Upon such examination, such appraisers shall make an assessment of all special benefits and damages, if any, which will accrue from the construction and operation of the automated transit system, as to each parcel of real estate. All property within the district (or owned or operated by the district), except common green areas, shall be conclusively presumed to be benefited by the existence of the district to the extent determined under this section as its assessed benefit. A copy of the roll of all owners of real estate, signed by all three (3) appraisers, showing the assessment of benefits and damages, if any, shall be filed by the appraisers with the commission not less than thirty (30) days after their appointment, unless the commission shall extend the time.

(c) Promptly after the filing of an assessment, the commission shall cause a notice to be mailed, by United States mail, first class postage prepaid, to each owner of real estate to be assessed. The notices shall be deposited in the mail twenty-one (21) days before the hearing date, shall set forth the amount of the proposed assessment, shall state that the proposed assessments on each parcel of real estate in the district are on file and can be seen in the office of the commission, and shall set forth the date when the commission will, at its office, receive written remonstrances against the assessment on the parcel and hear all owners of real estate assessed who have filed written remonstrances prior to the date fixed for the hearing. It shall be sufficient if the notices to the owners are addressed as the names and addresses appear upon the tax duplicates in the records of the county auditor.

(d) At the time so fixed in such notice, the commission shall hear all owners of real estate assessed who have filed written remonstrances prior to the date of the hearing. The hearing may be continued from time to time as long as may be necessary to hear such owners.

(e) The commission shall complete such assessment roll by rendering its decision by increasing, or decreasing, or by confirming each assessment by setting opposite each name, parcel and appraisers' assessment, the amount of the assessment as determined by the commission. If the total of the assessments exceeds the amount needed, the commission shall further make pro rata reduction in each assessment. The signing of such roll by a majority of the commission members, and the delivery thereof to the fiscal officer of the city shall constitute a final and conclusive determination of the benefits or damages, if any, assessed. However, any owner who had previously filed a written remonstrance as provided in this section with the board or any owner whose assessment was increased above the amount fixed by the appraisers, whether he filed such a written remonstrance or not, may appeal. Such appeal shall be taken as provided in IC 34-13-6, and shall proceed to trial, hearing, and final judgment in the manner and with the effect as provided in IC 34-13-6 as to all parties.

(f) If the final determination of the commission results in the total funds being inadequate to cover the cost of the improvement, the deficiency may be supplied by other sources as provided in this chapter.

(g) Each assessment shall be a lien on the real estate assessed, second only to taxes levied on such property.

(h) The commission shall annually transmit to the county auditor the schedule of assessment of benefits. The county auditor shall enter the assessment of benefits on the tax duplicates, and the county treasurer shall collect and enforce the amount of the assessed benefit in the same manner as property taxes are entered, collected, and enforced.

(i) The county treasurer charged with the duty of collecting such taxes shall, between the first and tenth days of each month, notify the commission of the amount of such special taxes collected during the preceding month, and upon the date of notification above referred to such county treasurer shall credit the amount so collected to a fund of such district to be designated as the "____________________ Automated Transit District Fund", and such fund shall be used and expended for no other purpose than as stated in this section. The commission shall have full, complete, and exclusive authority to expend for and on behalf of the district all sums of money thus realized. The commission may, by resolution, authorize and make temporary loans in anticipation of the collection of the special benefit taxes actually levied and in the course of collection under this section, which loans shall mature and be paid within the year in which made, and shall bear interest payable at the maturity of the loan. Such temporary loans shall be evidenced by warrants.

As added by Acts 1982, P.L.77, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.343-1989(ss), SEC.8; P.L.1-1998, SEC.89; P.L.113-2006, SEC.7.