During the Jones County supervisors’ ongoing budget discussion, auditor Whitney Hein laid out how the assessment changes impacted the county’s finances.
The county’s expenses were looking at an approximate 7% increase over the previous year after being reduced by $61,978 versus what was requested. That represents a roughly $1.6 million increase over the previous year. After the state’s rollback adjustment based on assessed property values, revenues are set to increase a mere .1%, or approximately $40,000.
“This is why I’m very concerned about putting that cap and not being able to levy for unusual needs,” Hein said. “Basically, you guys would be looking at cutting a lot, basically $1.6 million, and in this climate, it would be impossible to do without cutting services…or you just have to offer the bare minimum, which isn’t, I don’t think…what our taxpayers want.”
As part of their budget, the supervisors moved one deputy from the sheriff’s department to the rural service’s fund. The move would allow the county to lower each levy rate slightly from what was published as part of the max levy if they chose and was a possibility discussed when they approved adding another deputy to the department last year.
The supervisors continued to discuss the possibility of using American Rescue Plan Act funds to assist with funding rock for the county’s gravel roads. Interest accrued goes into the general fund, and the county is already largely maxed on their transfers to the secondary roads department, with supervisor John Schlarmann saying the county could use what amounts to that interest without actually using the interest because of the transfer rules. The supervisors asked to see both the proposed maps for 160 miles of roads and one with 200 miles.
The supervisors planned to take action at their March 14 meeting to set the public hearing to approve the county’s budget.
