Tight county budget slightly lowers tax levy

While neighboring counties are looking to increase their levies in the coming fiscal year, Jefferson County officials are proposing a 2010-2011 budget that will lower levy rates almost 16 cents.

The proposed urban tax levy rate is set to decrease from $7.05567 to $6.89687 per $1,000 taxable valuation. The proposed rural tax levy rate is set to decrease from $9.53682 to $9.37802 per $1,000 taxable valuation. The county plans to spend $40,287 less in the next fiscal year, putting total projected expenditures at $10,581,214.

The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors looked for opportunities to lower levy rates knowing that an increase in taxable value translates into an increase in property taxes.

?We recognized we had valuations that were up $40 million. It gave us some room to maneuver. Taxpayers were going to see an increase on their tax bills, and we took steps to move the other way,? Jefferson County Supervisor Lee Dimmitt explained.

The supervisors also held the line on salaries and spending. They voted against the compensation board?s recommendation to increase pay for elected officials 1.5 percent and instead kept salaries at their current levels. They also limited budgets to only 1 percent growth. With the exception of the sheriff and director of public health, all of the county?s department heads came in with initial budget requests at or below a 1 percent increase.

Dimmitt praised the department heads for being fiscally responsible.

?It was the department heads and the staff that got together and were able to keep their budgets down to last year?s levels for the most part. One percent growth is not a whole lot of growth,? Dimmitt said, adding, ?We?re not going to see any reductions in services.?

For the complete article, see the Wednesday, March 10, 2010, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.