Jordan Lett for Washington Township Board

A BIG thank you to friends and family who have offered support and encouragement for my first ever campaign! While I did not win I was able to make a lot of great relationships along the way and I look forward toward continuing to be a part of the Hendricks County community and doing what I can to support it and the people who call it home.

Less than a week from election day, May 7th!

I would appreciate your support! Follow my page Jordan Lett for Washington Township Board for more information on township government! Comments and concerns are always appreciated because conversation is the only way to connect!

Washington Township is the place to be! Between 2019 and 2023, Washington Township saw the largest growth in Assessed Value (AV) across all three categories in the county.

1% AV - 48% increase
2% AV - 74% increase
3% AV - 43% increase

More development means more fire and EMS. With your support I will focus on long-term funding of emergency services. More families means a higher demand for amenities. I will continue the focus of high quality parks.

Vote May7th and vote Lett!

Beat the lines and early vote! Primary day is May 7th!

TAX INCREMENT FINANCING (TIF) DISTRICTS

We NEED people who understand TIFs and are ready to engage fellow local leaders for long-term discussions on the use of TIF money and how it will impact the taxpayer.

TIFs can be an important economic development tool for the city/town and the county. By state law, only those two units of government can establish a TIF. A TIF is an area where the property value is effectively frozen, and for the next 25 years that the TIF exists, ANY incremental INCREASE in value is only taxed by the government that created it. This allows them to direct immediate funding to develop an area, such as roads and utilities, to prepare underdeveloped property for future job sights. These are HUGE upfront costs that need to be addressed; BUT, all other units of government, including schools and the townships, lose the ability to tax the growth in value of the property for that future period. This means that everyone else outside of the TIF will need to pay a HIGHER tax rate to maintain or grow the budget for other units of government.

TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT
In every property tax cap type the AV went up, and if you’ve been here long enough you’ve seen the new neighborhoods, the new warehouses, the new everything! This has happened inside and outside of town limits. More homes and businesses mean more accidents and fire runs. More families mean more people out at the parks. Understanding what development is happening, and where it’s happening, helps the Township Board and the Township Trustee identify what specific preparation is needed to ensure the community is protected and the people who answer the calls are protected with the right equipment.

LOCAL DEVELOPMENT TAX BASE
Our property taxes are based on the assessed value (AV) of our property and the value we pay taxes on is capped at 1%, 2%, and 3% depending on the type of property. Knowing the changes in the amount of each type of AV tells us what parts of our community are developing faster.

Townships boards don’t drive development, but it’s important that our leaders understand what is economically happening and how it impacts financing local government like a township. I will continue to share highlights of the economic development within Washington Township and the taxes that you and I pay. The tax rates we pay have gone down, but the amount has gone up! These fund important services that save lives as public safety is the first and most important function for the township.

LOCAL FINANCE

In 2019 the tax rate we paid to the Washington Township was $0.3985. 4 years and 1 pandemic later the rate has stayed relatively the same at $0.4013, with an overall levy increasing from $9.48M to $14.21M. Both inflation and overall development has enabled the township to maintain its rate but still increase the levy. As a 30-year-old millennial with two kids I know the impact of property taxes. With your support I will work to keep tax rates low while at the same time ensuring that fire protection and EMS is maintained for a growing community and the quality of life for families visiting parks and green spaces is kept up.

TOWNSHIP DUTIES

A township has many statutory duties. The most prominent and public-facing ones include: fire protection, EMS, park & cemetery management, and township assistance.

The township board is responsible for a number of actions but most importantly for advising the township trustee, levying the tax to fund township services, and making additional funding appropriations in the event of an emergency.

MY BELIEF
I believe in a transparent government that works in a way taxpayers are able to see, understand, and remain engaged with. Leading up to May 7th I will continue to post on the functions of township government to promote transparency and what should be expected of those elected by the people.

MY MISSION

I am running because I believe in a government that should always strive to run as efficiently and responsibly as possible with taxpayer dollars while at the same time providing services that are statutorily required at a level deserved of by the people. Through sound fiscal measures I will work to ensure those who provide fire protection services and EMS have the resources they need as they work to protect the community inside and out of the Washington Township lines. I will work to continue the significant progress made to promote access to high quality parks for the growing number of families in the Washington Township community. I will work to ensure that those in need in the community are connected to the wealth of resources that Hendricks County has to offer and support the township assistance program.

My name is Jordan Lett and I am excited to announce I am running for the Washington Township Board. As an active member of the community I want to put my experience and education to work and ensure that long-term, strategic planning continues in the township as the community experiences an increasing pace of population growth and development. Married for almost 5 years I am a proud girl dad with a 3-year old and a 2-year old. While working in budget and finance in state government I’ve also completed a Master’s in Public Affairs from IUPUI and an MBA from Butler. I am constantly looking to learn more, and with my working knowledge of government budgeting and the property tax system, I can hit the ground running with an experienced board to contribute a unique perspective while representing the people.