(Greensburg, IN) – Mayor Joshua Marsh has penned a letter to Greensburg residents about testifying at the Statehouse this week in favor of maintaining the ability to invest in the city and providing services the community expects.
The mayor voiced his opposition before the Indiana House Ways and Means Committee to language in Senate Bill 1, the property tax reform measure, that would freeze the Maximum Levy Growth Quotient (MLGQ).
Marsh says the freeze would limit the city’s ability to fund essential services such as infrastructure, public safety, economic development, and quality of life initiatives.
The mayor argued that the proposed cuts would harm the community and hinder progress.
He advocated for a balanced approach that provides targeted tax relief while maintaining essential local services.
Mayor Marsh writes that he expressed his commitment to advocating for Greensburg’s best interests and encouraged residents to share their perspectives with his office and state representatives.
That letter can be read below:
Dear Residents of Greensburg,
I’m writing to you today about an important matter that affects the future of our community. This week, I testified at the Indiana Statehouse in favor of Greensburg maintaining the ability to invest in our city and provide the services our community expects. I’ve heard your calls for property tax relief and agree that reform must be a priority for our General Assembly.
Meaningful action must be taken to reduce the burden on taxpayers across the state. Simultaneously, it is also my duty to explain why several concepts proposed by the legislature need improvement. This particular legislation could seriously undermine the progress we’ve made together and hamper our ability to continue providing the essential services you deserve.
As I recently shared in my State of the City address, Greensburg has experienced remarkable growth and development over the past year. We’ve modernized our operations, improved our infrastructure, and attracted significant economic investment. Our community was recently named ‘Neighborhood of the Year’ by the U.S. Small Business Administration—the only city selected in Indiana for 2024. This recognition reflects our commitment to creating a vibrant local economy through thoughtful investment in infrastructure and services that support our businesses and residents alike.
However, current proposals threaten to derail this progress by implementing an MLGQ freeze, or Maximum LevyGrowth Quotient, that would cripple our ability to fund essential services. The bill’s creation of a 0% cap in 2026, followed by 1% in 2027 and 2% in 2028, fails to account for inflation, population growth, and increasing servicedemands. For Greensburg, this would mean an inability to properly maintain the very infrastructure that has enabled our success.
Let me share some concrete examples from our community:
- Infrastructure Improvements: In 2024 alone, we secured over $9 million in grants for road projects—a historic amount for our administration. We completed crucial stormwater projects, with more planned for2025. The MLGQ freeze would significantly hinder our ability to provide matching funds for future grants and maintain this momentum.
- Public Safety: Our police department responded to over 13,000 calls for service last year, while our fire department answered 1,158 calls. Both departments have made significant investments in training, equipment, and facilities to ensure resident safety. The proposed cuts would force difficult decisions about staffing and resource allocation that could compromise public safety.
- Economic Development: Through strategic investments, we’ve attracted major economic development, broken ground on Liberty Lakes—our first new residential subdivision in over a decade—and begun work on a downtown apartment complex. These developments require ongoing infrastructure support that would be jeopardized by the proposed funding restrictions.
- Quality of Life Initiatives: Projects like our award-winning Building Bridges Inclusion Park, which has become a regional destination, demonstrate how targeted investments enhance our community’s appeal and draw visitors from neighboring states. Data shows we need more of these investments, not fewer.
As I mentioned, our citizens should receive property tax relief. Indeed, targeted relief for those who need it most—seniors, veterans, and first-time homebuyers—makes sense. However, implementing across-the-board cuts without replacement revenue sources will ultimately harm the very communities we’re all working to strengthen.
In Greensburg, we’ve worked diligently to secure grants, form public-private partnerships, and leverage every available resource to maximize value for our taxpayers. But these efforts cannot fully compensate for the significant funding losses proposed legislation would impose.
In my testimony, I advocated for a balanced approach that targets seniors, veterans, and others who may need a leg up. This can be done, while preserving our hard work and allowing us to build on what we’ve started.
As your mayor, I remain committed to advocating for Greensburg’s best interests at the state level. I believe we can find balanced solutions that provide appropriate tax relief for those who need it most while maintaining the essential local services that make our community special. I would welcome your thoughts on this issue and encourage you to reach out to both my office and your state representatives to share your perspective.
Thank you for the trust you’ve placed in me to serve as your mayor. Working together, we will continue to ensure Greensburg thrives and grows.
In service,
Joshua Marsh Mayor, City of Greensburg
