BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE — Bradford County commissioners will receive a proposed budget based on a 10-mill property tax rate.
There is still an opportunity to lower the tax rate prior to the budget’s final approval. Can that happen with no new revenue sources in place, despite discussions about franchise fees, special assessments and a higher sales tax? Perhaps.
The commission will receive an unbalanced version of the 2022-23 budget from Clerk Denny Thompson at its meeting on Aug. 1. From there, commissioners will have some decisions to make. Finance Director Dana LaFollette will provide options for balancing each budgetary fund using fund balance or transfers from the general fund.
Impacting the budget will be a $436,000 increase if the county decides to stay with its current health care insurance providers and approximately $600,000 in recurring costs from the raise approved for the sheriff’s office and board employees this year. The raise was paid for with inmate housing revenue, not a recurring funding source.
Once decisions on balancing the budget are completed, LaFollette will be able to tell the board what its actual millage rate needs to be to generate the needed revenue.
“We have heard you express interest in not using fund balance, if possible, to balance the budget,” Thompson said. “To do that, you will need to ensure that you are generating enough revenue from your set millage rate to handle general fund transfers. I’ll remind you that for many years the county has not been able to balance the budget without use of fund balance.”
However, because of a 7.6% increase in taxable values to more than $1.169 billion, the county would have nearly $1 million more in property tax revenue if it maintains the 10-mill rate.
Even using the rollback rate 9.5095 would generate more than $413,000 in new revenue because of the taxable value increase.
Thompson asked for a workshop date following the presentation of the budget and before the first public hearing for approval in September. It will take place on Monday, Aug. 29, at 6 p.m.
The public hearings will follow on Sept. 15 at 6 p.m. and Sept. 26 at 5:30 p.m.
