Ben Smaltz (R-Auburn) with an unnamed IACT official

AUBURN, Ind. (WOWO): Auburn is home to the best state legislator in 2015.

That's according to the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, who has awarded Republican State Representative Ben Smaltz with its 2015 Legislator of the Year award. 

They applaud Smaltz for authoring an act that requires cities and towns to be notified of possible tax refunds that would need to be factored into budgets during the last legislative session. That same law allows cities and towns to establish a fund to pay tax refunds over assessments that wouldn't negatively impact communities in the midst of a budget year. 

Smaltz's district covers all of DeKalb County and parts of Allen and Steuben Counties. He says he's honored by the award and will continue to work to make state and local governments “operate more efficiently and effectively.”