Jefferson County?s levy rates set to rise

A reduction in state aid is the primary culprit behind a proposed increase in Jefferson County?s levy rates.

The proposed 2011-2012 county budget raises the rural property tax levy rate 21.6 cents from $9.37802 to $9.59359 per $1,000 taxable valuation and the urban property tax levy rate 34.5 cents from $6.89687 to $7.24167 per $1,000 taxable valuation.

?That was a fairly difficult time getting to that small of an increase,? said Jefferson County Supervisor Dick Reed. The struggle, he explained, was improving a projected end balance of just $15,000 in the general basic fund at the end of the next fiscal year.

?We usually try to have as carryover anywhere from $500,000 to $750,000, ? so we had to make that difference up? Reed said. The result is a freeze on the general basic fund, which sustains the majority of county operations.

Each department head was asked maintain the same general basic fund bottom line as the current fiscal year, with the exception of the sheriff. The sheriff was asked to reduce his entire budget $5,000.

After approaching the budget as individual line items, Reed said the supervisors saw the freeze as a ?workable fix? that put the pressure on department heads to determine which cuts their offices could bear.

?The board of supervisors is not micromanaging. Once we approve that budget, [departments] can spend that budget, and it doesn?t necessarily have to be out of a particular line item,? Reed said. ?We felt like we treated all departments equal and fair with this freeze on the general basic.?

The general basic levy rate is set to increase 41 cents from $3.60 to $4.0113 per $1,000 taxable valuation. The general basic fund?s total revenue, including sources other than property taxes, is estimated at $3.73 million, with a reserve balance of $517,120.

The debt service levy rate is increasing 1.46 cents to 29.233 cents per $1,000 taxable valuation, and the remaining individual levy rates will either decrease or hold steady at their current rates:

For the complete article, see the Tuesday, March 8, 2011, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.