By Kellen Olshefski
Editor
Walworth County administration presented a preliminary budget that calls for a .45 percent tax levy increase during a public hearing Thursday.
County Administrator David Bretl said before the presentation that Walworth County is somewhat unique in the sense that it separates the public hearing from budget adoption, giving County Board members the opportunity to take into account any comment they hear from the public before officially adopting the budget.
Walworth County Comptroller Jessica Conley, who gave the presentation on behalf of the County Board, said the budget adheres to Wisconsin’s strict levy limits, which has kept the county to a .45 percent total levy increase for 2015, totaling $61.2 million compared with last year’s $60.9 million tax levy. Conley said county expenditures for the budget total about $139 million.
Touting the county’s diligence in keeping taxes below inflationary factors, Conley said if the levy had grown at the same level as the consumer price index over the past four years, the tax levy would be $4.3 million higher.
Conley said the county’s equalized value with tax incremental financing districts, $13.3 billion, saw its first increase in 2014, bringing it to a similar level as in 2006. Conley said for tax allocation purposes, the county uses equalized value less tax incremental financing district values.
Conley said equalized value without the districts increased by an average of .67 percent this year – the 17th lowest increase in Wisconsin. Despite 16 counties growing and exceeding high values of 2009, she said Walworth County ranks as the third worst in its recovery, with about 15 percent less value than reported in 2009.
Conley said the average mill rate in Walworth County was $4.72 per $1,000 of equalized value in 2013 compared to $4.71 in 2014.
Conley said the mill rate likely will not be what taxpayers will see on their tax bills as numerous factors determine how individual tax bills are computed. Conley said the average mill rate assumes taxpayers are paying the library and Children’s with Disabilities Education Board portions, which not all residents have to pay.
Conley said the county’s portion is about 23 percent of the tax bill, though depending on which municipality a citizen lives in, it could be as low as 8 percent or as high as 31 percent.
Conley said the county’s .5 percent sales tax is $125,000 short of 2008 levels – possibly a sign of improved economic conditions in the county.
Debt reduction
Conley said the county has looked for opportunities to make debt payments early when funds are available, saving the county about $700,000 in interest costs. She said at the end of 2014, the county’s outstanding debt is $22.6 million – less than half the amount it was in 2008 – more than $50 million.
Conley said the county has been setting aside funds for the $17.1 million Lakeland School to call its bonds. She said the $6.4 million set aside will fund 61 percent of the outstanding debt eligible to be called in 2017 and 2018.
Conley said the last time the county borrowed money was in 2011, and it has no plans for capital borrowing in the next five years. Conley said the county has been adding to a road contingency plan, an annual levy impact of about $3 million.
Expenditures
Conley noted several projects included in the capital improvement plan, the first being a renovation and addition to the county’s Public Works garage facility, which hasn’t been renovated since its construction in 1976.
She said the renovations will include a new vehicle repair facility, equipment, utilities, site repair, site improvements, cold and warm storage, a vehicle wash and modifications to the existing storage facility, totaling $10.8 million with a 2018 completion date.
The County Board will next meet at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at the Walworth County Government Center, 100 W. Walworth St., Elkhorn, to discuss any final issues with the budget and vote on adoption.
