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Cost of Community Services study

Larry DeBoer, professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University has completed a study of 91 Indiana counties looking at the “Cost of Community Services.”

“The study looks at the revenues and costs for counties and school corporations of three different kinds of property uses, residential, agricultural and business,” said DeBoer.

Funded by the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA), Deboer says his study provides counties and school corporations with seven different cost share allocations, to help local governments evaluate which scenario is most similar to their situation.

When it comes to agriculture in the study, the Purdue ag economist tells Brownfield.

“I think there are discussions to be had between agriculture and counties in particular, about what kinds of costs are imposed by agriculture on local governments and how does that compare to the revenues collected,” DeBoer said. “

The “Cost of Community Services” study was released at the Association of Indiana Counties annual conference.

AUDIO: Larry DeBoer, Purdue University (4:55 MP3)