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Vera-cruz, IndianaPhoto: Chris Flook · CC BY-SA 4.0
Town Hall · Vera Cruz

Vera Cruz spent less per resident in 2022 than 72% of similar cities

Vera Cruz’s town government spent $28,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $329 per resident.

Day-to-day spending, 2022
$28,000
year to December 31, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$329
In 2022: $329, less than 72% of 363 similar cities
Long-term debt
Not reported
end of 2022, reported
Town staff, 2022
0
full-time · 4 part-time · March payroll $668 · Census estimate
Typical tax bill
$1,167
1.69% of home value · IN 0.74%

What stands out about how Vera Cruz is run

Read from the town’s budget and official records.

Spends less than most similar citiesIn 2022: $329 per resident, less than 72% of 363 similar cities.A shared school districtShares Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School District with 3 other towns.Low bills, a higher rateThe typical bill is $1,167 a year: 1.69% of the home’s value, vs 0.74% across Indiana.
Compared with similar places

$329 per resident in 2022: less than 72% of them

Vera Cruz’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($329 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 363 Indiana cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $586, and the middle half spent $292–$967. Vera Cruz spent less than 72% of them.

Middle half of the group, $292–$967Median $586Vera Cruz

Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
363

Indiana cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Vera Cruz itself left out).

Your share of the 2022 budget

About $329 per resident a year, or $0.90 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 39%.

Where the money comes from
Fees & charges 38%Interest, fines & other 38%From the federal government 22%Property taxes 2%
About “Other”.46% of Vera Cruz’s day-to-day spending ($13,000) is filed by the Census Bureau outside the named functions above, so the receipt can’t say what it buys.
Over the years

No trend yet

Vera Cruz reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $1,167 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.69% of the home’s value, vs 0.74% across Indiana.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Indiana$1,614
Vera Cruz$1,167
$1,167
typical bill a year
1.69%
effective rate
$68,900
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Vera Cruz’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.

Tax bills are one input to Vera Cruz’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Vera Cruz →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Vera Cruz

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

Check Vera Cruz’s own website for current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Vera Cruz yet.
The school district

Bluffton-Harrison Metropolitan School District

Vera Cruz’s K–12 school district, shared with Harrison Township, Bluffton, Poneto. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Vera Cruz →
$11,967
per pupil · IN $13,688
1,782
students
$26.7 million
long-term debt

Of the $11,967 per pupil, $7,268 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 33%State 59%Federal 8%

Indiana districts overall: 33% local, 56% state, 11% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Who represents Vera Cruz

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Vera Cruz.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your townTown government
    Local officials aren’t on record yet.
  2. 2
    Indiana HouseState representatives
    Matt Lehman
  3. 3
    Indiana SenateState senator
    Travis Holdman
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Mike Braun
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Marlin A. Stutzman
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Indiana
    Todd YoungJim Banks

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Reach Vera Cruz’s government

Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.

The Handbook →

Questions about Vera Cruz’s government

How much does Vera Cruz spend per resident?

About $329 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $329 was less than 72% of 363 Indiana cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Vera Cruz?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,167 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.69% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.74% across Indiana. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see the town’s assessor.

Who runs Vera Cruz’s government?

We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Vera Cruz yet.

How many people work for Vera Cruz?

0 full-time and 4 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $668 (about $8,016 a year if every month were the same); Census Bureau estimates.

Who represents Vera Cruz in the state legislature?

State Senate District 19 (Travis Holdman) and State House District 79 (Matt Lehman). The House district also covers 36 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

Ask neighbors about Vera Cruz’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →