County proposes unchanged mill levy in 2016 budget

The Jackson County Commissioners are proposing the same mill levy for the county’s 2016 budget, however, more taxes will be collected since the county’s assessed valuation has increased from last year.

The county commission is proposing a 73.764 mill levy for the next fiscal year, which is the same levy used in 2015.

In 2014, the county levied 72.869 mills, and in 2013, the county’s mill levy was set at 71.028 mills. 

In the past year, the county’s assessed valuation increased by about $5 million, it was reported.

The county’s assessed valuation has been set at $104,006,032, up $4,764,312 from last year’s $99,241,720.

In 2014, the county’s valuation was set at $96,928,850.

Since the assessed valuation has increased in the county, more tax funds will be collected even though the mill levy is the same from the previous year.

One mill is one dollar of property tax levied against $1,000 of assessed valuation. The assessed value is computed by taking the market values of the property and multiplying it by the appropriate assessment factor for that class of property.

Total maximum expenditures for the county for 2016 have been set at $12,527,736 for the county, which includes $5,697,744 for the general fund, $3,095,487 for the road and bridge department and $2,359,610 for the sheriff’s office/detention center.

Other department budgets include $244,500 for noxious weed, $130,500 for elderly services, $189,687 for the 911 fund, $58,910 for parks and recreation and $133,540 for the special alcohol fund.

The county is expecting to have $408,601 available from the .4 percent retailers’ sale tax, which is earmarked for road and bridge improvements.

The county does not have any outstanding indebtedness.  At the end of 2013, the commissioners signed off on the final payments used to purchase new heating and air conditioning systems for the Courthouse.

The public hearing date for the proposed budget has been set for 10 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 14, on the second floor of the Jackson County Courthouse.

The public notice for the proposed budget is printed on page 3 in the Monday, Aug. 31 print edition of The Holton Recorder.