The Marion County Board’s Finance Committee is looking at the 3.4-percent levy increase allowed under truth in taxation for next year. The discussion came during a meeting to discuss several aspects of next year’s budget which is scheduled to take effect December 1st.
Committee Chair Chris Krupp says he doesn’t think the budget can be balanced without it. He’d like to look for an average three percent increase in future years.
“We’d like to stick around that if we could, I don’t think we can this year. If we can stay at three percent or lower, that’s what I’d like to see. I don’t want to raise anybody’s taxes, I don’t want to raise my own taxes.
Board Chair Debbie Smith says they were hurt this year when agreeing to a zero-percent levy increase and she doesn’t feel there is room to cut personnel.
“It would penalize the county to lay off people,” Smith said. “That’s going to have big repercussions. These people, you have to go with contracts, you have to abide by the contracts.”
It was also noted that many county office holders are paying some of their employees out of their own dedicated funds from earnings.
Since the issue was not on the ballot, no formal vote could be taken of the committee. The tax levy could be discussed further at the board’s next board meeting on November 12th.
The board received good news on its health insurance premiums. The basic premium will increase just $6,000 or 2.3-percent on the fixed portion of the bill. Since self insurance is being used for part of the health insurance program, there could be savings or higher costs depending on the amount of benefits used. Todd Dobbs of Chaney Karch Insurance felt the increase was very reasonable and the lowest he had seen. The proposal will go before the full board on November 12th.
Krupp doesn’t feel there will be money available to hire a Veterans Assistance Coordinator through county funds.
“I don’t think that’s going to be as big of a hit to the budget, because there’s going to be an extra levy that covers that. It’s going to amount to probably around 230,000. It’s not a huge increase over the full county, but it’s still an increase to people’s taxes. I get it, but it’s law.”
State law would allow for .28-cent tax per $100,000 assessed valuation or about $8 on a $100,000 home. Krupp says the tax money would become available to the commission by December of last year.
