(La Porte County, IN) - The La Porte County Commissioners rang in the New Year today without much in the way of typical longstanding political conflict until two elected officials got into a heated face-to-face argument following the meeting.

 

It was over a local realtor being nominated by a commissioner to fill a vacant seat on the La Porte County Property Tax Board of Appeals during the annual reorganization portion of the meeting.

 

La Porte County Auditor Tim Stabosz objected, claiming the local realtor was taking a homestead deduction that she wasn’t eligible for on her property taxes for the past three years.  He said it would be inappropriate to appoint someone to such a governing body who’s been “cheating the county.”

 

The commissioners voted to reconsider the appointment until they find out more about the sudden allegations. 

 

The remainder of the meeting was rather uneventful, but immediately after being adjourned La Porte County Assessor Mike Schultz quickly approached Stabosz.

 

Schultz argued that her property on the city of La Porte’s south side is a vacation home that she can claim as a homestead exemption from living there for at least the past six months.  A number of politically related insults were then exchanged between the two men until Schultz began walking away.

 

“Walk away, Mike. Walk away,” Stabosz told him.

 

Stabosz then stood and walked up to Schultz before he reached the doors and made additional heated remarks.  Schultz turned and more lightning-rod verbal exchanges followed between the two men.

 

La Porte County Commissioner Rich Mrozinski told Stabosz to “get help” while another person in the audience with a raised voice joked “Happy New Year.”  Mrozinski and Stabosz have been among the main public officials involved in the almost constant political fighting over the past three years.

 

Afterward, Stabosz said the woman paid $6,945 for back taxes owed from the wrongful homestead exemption claims over the past three years.

 

“That’s an admission as far as we’re concerned,” he said.

 

He said she recently applied for a homestead exemption again on the property.  Stabosz said appointing the woman to the board would be unethical and a conflict of interest since the property tax appeals board decides challenges on things like homestead exemption claims. 

 

“I don’t think a person who didn’t tell the truth or misrepresented an application to collect property tax benefits for a house she didn’t live in should be put on that board to oversee waivers when she, herself, has shown to be either negligent or dishonest in her activities. That is outrageous,” he said.