A reassessment in Lake County means some people will be paying nine to ten times more than they paid last year, and many say they don't know where they're going to get the money to pay the taxes.

Many residents and small business owners are overwhelmed by the high property taxes. However, they say, there are some big companies who will not be paying their fair share.

"Is this heaven? No. This is Whiting. But our taxes are out of this world."

Paul and Maureen Progar put that sign up after their property taxes jumped from 15-hundred to 79-hundred dollars a year.

Pat Chilla had to go back to work after her husband died of cancer 12 years ago. She's since paid off the mortgage, but now her tax bill is nine times what it was last year.

"I took a loan. I took a loan to pay this installment. When it comes due again in November I'll worry about it when that comes due," said Pat Chilla

Others are taking out loans to pay their taxes. Mary Lou Gregor sold her car.

"I want to fight to the end but I needed the money to pay my taxes and I don't have $8,000," said Mary Lou Gregor.

The tax bills are now out. The due date is a week from today. Nearly everyone in the community, it seems, is reeling from a property tax reassessment that relaxed the burden on major employers, and shifted it to homeowners.

The reassessment affects all of Lake County, but in Whiting it's beginning to be noticed. And one result is "for sale" signs are beginning to pop up.

"At least five houses have for sale signs up in my neighborhood, and another is going up shortly too," said Amy Wilson.

Many long time residents in Lake County Indiana concede that their property taxes were artificially low for years, but to now have a reassessment swing the pendulum wildly in the other direction has led to a lot of anger and disbelief.

And merchants -- like Edie Rauner Wilke who runs a stainglass-novelties store are seeing business fall.

You don't think you're going to make it? "I don't know. As it stands now, no," said Edie Rauner-Wilke.

"I'm not gonna let anybody do this to me. It's not right. But you have to pay the bill---absolutely."

Residents say their frustration is that no one in Indianapolis appears willing or able to seek a political solution, and that the current court fight over reassessment has no timetable nor guarantees.

For now many are stuck. They can't afford to move. They can't afford to stay.

The fight over the Lake County property taxes has gone all the way to the Indiana Supreme Court, but there's no word yet on when a ruling might be handed down.

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