Tentative Winneshiek County budget would hold rural levy steady

No date has been set yet for a public hearing on the 2010-2011 Winneshiek County budget. But county officials are close to wrapping up their proposal for a budget that will not increase the property tax mill rate in 2010-2011 for county government purposes.

County Board Chairman Dean Darling says it looks like the 2010-2011 property tax levy for county purposes for people living in rural areas will be $8.84 per $1,000 of assessed valuation--the same rate as this year. The rate for urban residents would decline by 26 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation.

The county budget is staying the same as this year thanks to a sharp drop in funding for mental health and developmental disabilities programs--a decrease of 30 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation. County officials say the decline should be short-lived, however--they expect costs to go back up sharply in 2011-2012.