Video: Independent assessor hopeful Jeneé Trimble brings property tax claims to Bloomington town hall

Staff report

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.— April 2, 2026

Jeneé Trimble, a former Monroe County assessor’s office employee who describes herself as a whistleblower, held a town hall last Thursday, March 27, 2026, at Buffalo Wild Wings as she works to gather enough signatures to appear on the November ballot as an independent candidate for Monroe County assessor.

Trimble is seeking to challenge incumbent Assessor Judy Sharp. During the event, she argued that Monroe County property owners are being hurt by what she described as improper assessment practices, telling attendees that inflated or inaccurate assessments have contributed to rising property tax bills and, in turn, higher housing costs. According to a transcript of the event, Trimble repeatedly alleged that the county’s assessment system is not being applied fairly and said she wants to overhaul the office if elected.

At the town hall, Trimble said she believes Monroe County has incorrectly assessed some properties, including vacant land, mobile homes and homes she contends were re-evaluated outside the normal reassessment cycle. She also alleged that assessment practices have put added pressure on homeowners, landlords and renters, especially those on fixed incomes. Throughout the meeting, she urged residents to review their assessment notices and appeal them if they believe the values are inaccurate.

Trimble’s claims are not new. She previously filed a complaint with Indiana’s Department of Local Government Finance, alleging Monroe County officials engaged in practices such as “sales chasing,” manipulating ratio studies, incorrectly assessing vacant land and mobile homes, targeting individuals, allowing staff to assess their own properties, and warning homeowners that appealing could increase their assessments. The DLGF concluded in 2025 that it found no evidence Monroe County assessing officials had violated Indiana property tax law.

Trimble has also been involved in two civil lawsuits tied to her time working in county government. One lawsuit, which included broad allegations against Monroe County, Assessor Judy Sharp and other officials, was dismissed in its entirety in January after a judge found the amended complaint failed to state a viable legal claim. A second lawsuit, stemming from Trimble’s termination from the Monroe County auditor’s office, was narrowed significantly; most claims were dismissed, but a wrongful termination claim against Monroe County Auditor Brianne Gregory in her official capacity was allowed to proceed. The judge did not rule that Trimble had proved retaliation, only that she had alleged enough at that stage for the case to continue.

Thursday’s gathering functioned as both a campaign event and a presentation on property tax assessments. Trimble told the audience her immediate goal is to secure enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. She framed her campaign as an effort to bring more transparency to the assessor’s office and to push out what she called an entrenched system that has harmed taxpayers.

The Bloomingtonian has not yet received a rebuttal from Sharp. This story is based on coverage of Thursday night’s event and Trimble’s public statements there.

Bob Nyquist also spoke at the event. Nyquist is the only Democrat running against incumbent Monroe County Assessor Sharp in the Democratic primary. The winner of that primary will advance to the November general election. Trimble told supporters she is running outside the two-party system as an independent and therefore must gather 1,000 signatures from registered voters to qualify for the general election ballot. She also encouraged voters to support Nyquist in the primary as part of a broader effort to unseat Sharp, while saying she still intends to face him in the general election if both candidates advance.

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