FORT WAYNE – Indiana counties are beginning the process of reassessing properties in preparation for bills that will come due in 2013, but some could be short of cash to complete the work.

Assessors will inspect each piece of property in the state to confirm square footage and determine whether items such as pools have been added or removed, thus affecting a total assessment.

Indiana's last full reassessment was in 2002. In the past, reassessments could result in large increases in property values because officials were updating them for the first time in several years.

But now, assessors adjust property values annually based on sales of similar properties, a process known as trending.

Allen County Assessor Stacey O'Day said that means the reassessment now is mostly about ensuring that information on each property card is accurate.

But the reassessment process can be costly to counties.

Monroe County assessor Judy Sharp, president of the Indiana Assessors Association, said about half the state's 92 counties will hire contractors to inspect properties, while the others will use current staff to do the work.

She expects the reassessment to cost Monroe County about $1 million. O'Day said Allen County had about $900,000 in its reassessment fund at the beginning of the year and is relying on county staff to complete the work.

But some other counties, including St. Joseph, appear to be short on funds for the work.

The county expects to need about $2.3 million to pay for the reassessment but had only $481,000 in its reassessment fund in June.

Property tax revenue should boost that to about $1 million by the end of the year, but that still will leave the county short, officials say.

The shortfall stems from the county's decision to tap the fund to pay employees as revenue has dwindled. The county has taken more than $5.6 million from the fund since 2005 to pay salaries and benefits.

"It's a heck of an ordeal we're in, and I don't really know what to do," said County Council President Rafael Morton.

Counties across the state lost millions in property tax revenue this year due to the tax caps taking full effect. And more cash will be lost next year as income tax revenue begins to drop reflecting the economic crash.