2025 county budget proposed

The Jackson County Commissioners are proposing a small increase to the mill rate for the 2025 budget to provide a four percent salary increase for all county employees, it was reported.

The commissioners approved a motion to publish a proposed county budget for next year funded by 72.5 mills, which is a .05 mill increase from the rate used to fund this year’s budget (72.45). 

The proposed mill rate is above the county revenue neutral rate and will require an additional hearing before the budget is approved. In order to have a revenue neutral budget for 2025, the county’s mill rate would have to be 70.038 mills, it was reported. 

The county’s assessed valuation has been set at $158,099,056, which is $5,263,721 more than last year’s $152,835,335.

With the increase in the assessed valuation, the 72.5 mill rate is expected to generate $11,462,186 in county taxes, which is $389,285 more than what was collected this year ($11,072,901).

The additional funds collected will be used to cover a four percent raise for all county employees, which was the rate of inflation at the start of the budget process, Commissioner Mark Pruett said. The county does not have any outstanding debt.

The county’s maximum budget authority for the proposed budget totals $23,226,359, which includes $9,971,332 for the general fund, $5,015,347 for the road and bridge department and $4,091,568 for the sheriff’s office. 

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