On October 2nd, the board’s Finance Committee completed its review of department budget requests and recommended a $36.4 million property tax levy for 2014.
That proposed levy is $944,125 less than in 2013, almost meeting the Finance Committee’s goal set in the spring of a $1 million reduction.
The proposed property tax rate of $2.8632 per $1,000 of assessed value amounts to a $572.64 average county tax bill on a $200,000 home. That would be $3.16 less than the 2013 average county tax bill.
“Unlike last year when the tax levy went down but the mill (tax) rate increased, we reduced both this year,” committee member Todd White said. He is a county supervisor from the town of Trenton.
“I think a stabilizing point has been reached,” County Administrative Coordinator Douglas Johnson said, noting that property valuation in the county has fallen a total of 8.25 percent in the past four years because of the recession but appears to be starting back up.
“We’ve kind of weathered the storm,” committee member Robert Milich said. He is a county supervisor from West Bend.
Most of the savings came from an $804,094 reduction in debt service payments required next year, Johnson said, which is 56 percent less than in 2013.
The rest comes from a shift in onetime fee revenue from a reserve fund in the Register of Deeds office to the general fund, Johnson said.
“That really explains it all,” Johnson said, “and you held the line on the rest of it.”
Last week the committee began its deliberations with a proposed $36.6 million tax levy, $769,705 (2.1 percent) less than in 2013.
The committee’s budget recommendations now go to the full County Board on Nov. 7.
That proposed levy is $944,125 less than in 2013, almost meeting the Finance Committee’s goal set in the spring of a $1 million reduction.
The proposed property tax rate of $2.8632 per $1,000 of assessed value amounts to a $572.64 average county tax bill on a $200,000 home. That would be $3.16 less than the 2013 average county tax bill.
“Unlike last year when the tax levy went down but the mill (tax) rate increased, we reduced both this year,” committee member Todd White said. He is a county supervisor from the town of Trenton.
“I think a stabilizing point has been reached,” County Administrative Coordinator Douglas Johnson said, noting that property valuation in the county has fallen a total of 8.25 percent in the past four years because of the recession but appears to be starting back up.
“We’ve kind of weathered the storm,” committee member Robert Milich said. He is a county supervisor from West Bend.
Most of the savings came from an $804,094 reduction in debt service payments required next year, Johnson said, which is 56 percent less than in 2013.
The rest comes from a shift in onetime fee revenue from a reserve fund in the Register of Deeds office to the general fund, Johnson said.
“That really explains it all,” Johnson said, “and you held the line on the rest of it.”
Last week the committee began its deliberations with a proposed $36.6 million tax levy, $769,705 (2.1 percent) less than in 2013.
The committee’s budget recommendations now go to the full County Board on Nov. 7.
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