LAPORTE — The state will decide next week if LaPorte County needs a property tax reassessment. Thursday night, people in that county had a final chance to voice their opinions.

There's a clear line drawn on the issue. Many people say the assessment is a scheme to get more money, but county officials say it was done correctly and people should be filing appeals, not asking the state for a costly reassessment.

"They raised it 400 percent. I can't afford it," said one resident.

The assessment of New Durham Estates went from $2.4 million to $6.3 million. The county's assessments were accepted by the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF), until a Long Beach taxpayer filed a petition.

"What's important is that the statistical evidence shows sales chasing," said Cheryl Musgrave, a DLGF commissioner.

Sales chasing is using sold properties to determine values on unsold properties.

But county attorney Shaw Friedman says Nexus, the company hired to do the assessment, did it correctly.

"Nexus represents 40 percent of the parcels in the state of Indiana and those ratio studies have been approved," said Friedman.

County officials say a reassessment would cost taxpayers more than $2 million and would delay rebate checks and revenue from this year's bills.

"It can create problems for cities, towns and schools that need to get their tax bills out and to get the revenue to support those services," said Friedman.

The DLGF expects to make a decision next week. A reassessment could change the 2007 numbers.

The DLGF says the county treasurer can send out provisional bills. Those are just preliminary bills that can be adjusted later. It would ensure there is money coming into the county to cover expenses.