LAPORTE COUNTY — Local leaders have taken a drastic step. The LaPorte City Council passed a unanimous resolution calling County Assessor Carol McDaniel "incapable of completing her job."

It asks Indiana's Department of Local Government Finance to recommend that she be removed from office.

This all centers around LaPorte County's recent reassessment efforts, a process that's now stretching into its fourth year.

Under HEA 1001 — the property tax reform bill lawmakers passed last year — the DLGF now has the power to recommend the removal of assessors across the state.

Some local leaders are asking for that to happen in LaPorte County because they say they're frustrated.

"Our resolution basically says we're frustrated with the tax system, and frustrated with the reassessment. It's frustrating we have not gotten our tax draws, and we're not able to pay our bills right now with it," said LaPorte City Council member Donald Heichel (R).

"The city is taking a stand and saying, listen — enough is enough. We've gone 4-5 years now that this same excuse keeps occurring. We want some resolution to it," he continued.

City and county leaders have been forced to borrow money to stay financially afloat as the reassessment process drags on. Some estimate the interest payments alone already add up more than $1 million.

"Our county assessor has had a full year to get this resolved, and it's not resolved. We started a reassessment process last year, and we're just a far along this year as we were last year. You can't make a million dollar error in private industry and keep your job," said LaPorte County Commissioner Mike Bohacek (D).

Their call now is for an immediate change.

"It's not about politics. It's a matter of simple economics. We have to provide services for our community and Ms. McDaniel is standing in the way and doesn't have ability to move it forward," said Bohacek.

But, McDaniel (D) says she hasn't done anything wrong and the slow reassessment process isn't her fault.

As for resigning?

She says "no way."

"My record is clear. I have worked with these people. I have done nothing wrong and I'm going to stay in there," she said.

McDaniel says the reason for the delay is a combination of issues.

First, there have been, at times, slow responses from the state.

"[The DLGF] changed the trending order 3 times, so that put us back again. Every time we took one step forward, we had to go back about 2 steps," she said.

One major reason why, she said, is an appeal from a group of property owners in Michigan City who felt her ratio studies were flawed.

"We would've gone a lot faster if this guy in Michigan City would've left the order alone so we could have gotten through it. They prolonged this about, oh, 6 months," McDaniel said.

Another snag?

"We've had some problems with a private vendor called Manatron who has been trying, but unable to print bills since February," she said.

Bohacek calls that "ridiculous."

"This is the same vendor she's used, sponsored, and fought for for the last several years," said Bohacek. "And to blame citizens? They have the right to protest and appeal."

"Maybe it's not completely her fault," agreed Heichel. "But, managing the whole thing has been her fault. She's the executive that's elected to represent the assessor's office. Something has to be done on her part."

Heichel says others — iincluding LaPorte Mayor Kathy Chroback and LaPorte Clerk-Treasurer Teresa Ludlow — believe that's where McDaniel has come up short.

"I don't think she's doing enough to go down state and make sure this thing gets done in a timely manner," Heichel said.

WSBT's calls to Chroback, Ludlow and LaPorte City Attorney Don Baugher were not returned Wednesday.

But, that didn't stop McDaniel from speaking out about them anyway.

"I'm very disappointed in [Chroback]. She doesn't know how to take care of her Mayor's job to begin with. So, why is she pointing fingers at everyone else?" asked McDaniel.

McDaniel also says allegations that the DLGF forced a takeover of re-trending data for the next two years are false.

"They called me and asked what they could do to help. And, I told them they could help with the re-trending for 08-pay-09 and 09-pay-10," she said.

As for Bohacek?

"I think he's got his job mixed up," she said. "He doesn't know what the assessor's office does. I work very diligently in there with the DLGF, with my vendor, and with my office. He doesn't know what kind of work we do in there," McDaniel said.

"I want LaPorte County to move forward, and I'm willing to move past this. But, get out of the sandbox, kids. Let's be adults and get on with this," she continued.

DLGF spokesperson Amanda Stanley says the agency will issue its decision within the next two weeks.

If that decision is a recommendation for removal, the LaPorte County Council would then issue their own recommendation to county commissioners, who would have the final say over McDaniel's future as assessor.