Proposed county budget includes mill levy cut

The Jackson County Commissioners are proposing a 2.202 mill rate decrease for the county’s 2026 budget in order to remain revenue neutral, it has been reported.

The commissioners approved a motion on Monday to publish a proposed county budget for next year funded by 70.458 mills, which is down from the 72.660 mills used to fund this year’s budget.

The proposed mill rate is the county’s revenue neutral rate, and the road and bridge department, the sheriff’s office and the county general fund received the largest cuts, according to Jackson County Clerk Kristie Richter. 

The county’s assessed valuation has been set at $162,467,633, which is up $4.9 million from last year’s assessed valuation of $157,544,592.

The proposed lower tax rate is expected to generate $11,447,144 in local taxes next year, which is $15,042 less taxes than the $11,462,186 collected last year.

The county’s maximum budget authority for the proposed budget has been set at $23,274,097, which includes $9,508,895 for the general fund, $4,865,453 for the road and bridge department and $4,196,257 for the sheriff’s office. 

The new maximum budget authority is $3,455,354 more than last year when the county’s maximum budget authority was set at $19,818,743.

Other department budgets include $426,375 for noxious weed, $180,019 for elderly services, $118,00 for the 911 fund, $35,300 for parks and recreation, $19,500 for the special alcohol fund and $102,143 for the auto tag fee fund. 

A total of $400,000 is being budgeted in the county’s special .4 percent sales tax fund for road and bridge projects.

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