County Commissioners Anticipate Small Increase To Levy

By Gordon HopkinsDespite a strong emphasis on finding places to cut spending, or at least try not to increase spending, at budget reviews earlier this month, Jefferson County is looking at a possible increase of 3.47 percent to the total levy rate.Although small, commissioners are well aware that current overall public opinion is opposed to any increase at all. Commissioners emphasize these numbers are still preliminary.Brian Blobaum, CPA, of Blobaum and Busboom PC, presented a preliminary budget summary to county commissioners at a meeting the morning of Tuesday, August 27, 2024, “We, of course, did not have the final valuations out last time we met and, so, now that we have those, we’re probably looking at trying determining what our property tax request should be for the next year, at least for purposes of publishing for the budget hearing.” Mill LevyCommissioners noted that, although the total levy may be increasing, the mill levy is lower than last year. Commissioner Michael Dux said it “almost three cents” lower.The mill levy is a property tax, applied to a property based on its assessed value. The rate of the tax is expressed in mills and is equal to one dollar per $1,000 dollars of assessed value.However, Commissioner Mark Schoenrock said, “That’s true, but I always focus on the bottom line. You know, I am a Jefferson County taxpayer. And I’m going to look at what did I have to pay last year in taxes, and what am I going to have to pay this year in taxes? That is going to go up little over three percent.” Inheritance TaxCognizant of the public’s desire for lower taxes, the county did consider using the inheritance fund to lower the levy, which is what the county did last year. Even with the addition of inheritance funds, the tax rate for last year increased by 4.66 percent.Blobaum said that $1.7 million, “Was not earmarked to have been spent in this budget. So I would leave some reserves in the Inheritance Fund.”Schoenrock said, “To me, the bottom line question is, do we want to try to, quote unquote, buy down the levy with some more inheritance funds, or do we want to try to keep that Inheritance Fund at that $1.7 million and go with this (3.47 percent) levy?”The Inheritance Fund is used by the county as a “rainy day fund,” for unexpected expenses or emergencies. Commissioner Dux pointed out, “And then there are some unknowns with what the legislature passed.”Schoenrock said, “When the legislature convenes again in January, I’m sure there’s going to be other efforts scrutinizing county budgets.”“I think there’s just so many uncertainties there that probably good for us to keep that,” said Schoenrock. “It’s an option. I mean, we could buy down the levy some, but with all the uncertainties out there, it’s probably prudent on the part of the board to try to keep that reserve.” Increased ExpensesA combination of inflation and increased wages has put a squeeze on local budgets throughout the state. Personnel, both salaries and benefits, make up the bulk of the county’s budget. Across the nation, a worker shortage has necessitated increased salaries in both private and public sectors to attract and retain staff. As a result the county has been forced to increase salaries substantially in recent years. Despite trying to find anyplace to cut spending, salaries was the one area that was, of necessity, off limits.Schoenrock said, “Gravel and new road graders and new law enforcement vehicles. I mean, just think about all the increased costs that we’ve been faced with, especially this last year, and 3.47 percent is, I think, pretty darn good for us to hold it at that level.” Ambulance ServiceBlobaum said, “Jefferson County is kind of a hybrid entity, because we have the ambulance that only encompasses half the county.”Retaining the ambulance services remains a priority for commissioners. Schoenrock said, “I can still remember last time I campaigned for reelection, that was the most important thing to people. They said, Whatever you do, do not cut the ambulance budget.”There will be a hearing in the future that will be open to the public. Commissioners encourage the public to attend and voice their opinions.

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