Property owners opposing annexation by the City of Bloomington are seeking to extend the remonstrance process due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Monroe Circuit Court held an initial hearing Friday asking up to 90 days for remonstrators to canvas for signatures needed to void annexation.
In his argument, County Residents Against Annexation attorney William J. Beggs described the annexation process as “ill-conceived and unwanted.”
Read more: Annexation hearing for petition extension scheduled for Friday
City Attorney Larry Allen countered that remonstrators were not inhibited from canvassing, citing interviews with witnesses who participated fully in other public activities during the canvassing period. The city characterized their case as a “Hail Mary use of the pandemic to get a second bite of the apple.”
The city also compared the remonstrators’ argument to a “candidate who was late filing petitioning for a new election,” and said the court doesn’t have the authority to alter deadlines since annexation is a legislative process.
After the court adjourned, plaintiff Rick Ferguson says many residents won’t be able to afford higher taxes if their property is annexed.
“A lot of the people that are on in my area, their mates have died. And they plan on living in their house until they expire themselves,” Ferguson said. “But some taxes are gonna go up 1,000 bucks a year. With more taxes, they won't be able to do that.”
President of the County Residents Against Annexation Margaret Clements told WFIU-WTIU that she felt "gratified county residents were finally heard by the court."
The court is scheduled to return Jan 6.
