The city of Bloomington says it spent at least $770,000 on its annexation proposal before the state legislature stopped the process.
State law outlines specific rules for proposing annexation, which the city started in February. It was about halfway through the process when the legislature passed a budget bill that prohibits annexation proposed after Dec. 31, 2016 and before July.
It's a move Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton has repeatedly said only impacts his community.
"It is exceedingly frustrating, and very undemocratic, for the state government to reach down with its heavy hand and single out our community for this treatment," Hamilton said in a statement. "It's expensive too, and I haven't heard any offer from the legislature to reimburse us for the process we undertook, at their explicit direction, to explore annexation."
The city says the costs incurred for exploring the possibility of annexation include a financial analysis of the proposal, mailing expenses, transcription services, surveying and legal services.