County 24: Brown

If you ever fall into the trap of thinking that all Indiana counties are the same, think of Brown County.

As someone who has been in every county multiple times, I can tell you that each one is unique.

You’re probably familiar with Brown County due to tourism. The area’s natural beauty and historic districts have made a great local vacation destination for decades. But Brown County is our 12^th least populous county.

Lt. Governor Becky Skillman talks to local Hoosiers at Farm House Cafe and Tea Room Resturant in Beanblossom.

Local elected officials will note that about half of all land in the county is tax-exempt, which can cause many funding problems. Here’s an example: As part of my day in the county, I visited the employees of the Abe Martin Lodge at Brown County State Park, a tax-exempt property. Throughout the year, an extraordinary number of county EMS runs are needed at the state park, and most of those visitors treated are not county residents.

This would be a great example of where some fiscal flexibility could be beneficial. If property taxes are insufficient in some areas, could revenues from innkeeper or food and beverage taxes be used to supplement them? Should local governments be able to transfer between funds without layers of red tape?

It’s an issue we’re looking at and hope to talk more about this coming year.