County heads toward maximum tax levy rate
Feb. 24—CLINTON — The Clinton County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution Monday to approve a maximum tax levy rate.
The Supervisors voted 3-0 to approve a resolution to pass the fiscal year 2022 maximum tax levy. The maximum increase in the tax levy will be 97 cents total. The Supervisors also approved a resolution to set a public hearing on the fiscal year 2022 budget for 9:45 a.m. March 15.
Clinton County Supervisor Dan Srp received feedback from community members, requesting the Supervisors do the best they can to try to keep taxes affordable in Clinton County for businesses and individuals in addition to agricultural land owners, he said. Srp does not believe it is possible to sustain services without a levy increase, he said.
About 36 cents is added to the levy due to the cost of the communications project, Board of Supervisors Chairman Tom Determann said during a Clinton County Development Association meeting last week. Some small counties could not afford the cost of the replacement, Determann said Monday.
The decision for the county to take on providing 911 communications equipment was made a number years ago because a number of smaller departments were not able to spend the funds to purchase the proper equipment, Srp said. This solution has been embraced by the county and commission for a period of time, Srp said. Srp noted previous board discussion about counties funding the replacement cycle for the radios.
"I don't know how that's going to be any more possible than it is today," Srp said. "So I feel like that needs to be communicated. It's a great desire and I think if they were in a position to do so, every single one of them would be willing to. But I think it's, I don't know if it's a realistic expectation or hope quite honestly."
Determann is hoping there will be legislation to address the issue, he said. With the need, communications should be able to levy for the radio replacements, Determann believes.
Determann noted other costs leading to the 97 cent maximum increase in the tax levy. The county had to adjust the levy from last year, he said. He also noted an increase in health insurance.
Srp supports the 97 maximum tax levy increase move but there are a couple line items within the proposed budget with which he disagrees, he said.
"I'm hoping we can avoid doing a substantial move at least next year," Srp said. "This possibly will give us a little bit of wiggle room and breathing time to observe some growth."
The county may still decrease the tax levy increase from the 97 cent maximum increase. Iowa Code requires counties to file a maximum tax levy prior to filing the proposed budget.
