Dunn County Board reviews $79.84 million budget for 2018

By LeAnn R. Ralph

MENOMONIE  — The Dunn County Board has reviewed a proposed budget for 2018 of $79.84 million, representing an increase of $1.48 million over the 2017 budget.

According to a budget summary presented to the county board at the October 18 meeting, the tax levy for the 2018 budget will be $21,616,783, compared to a levy for this year of $21,591,213.

The additional tax levy of $25,570 represents a .12 percent increase.

Equalized value in the county also has increased, from $2.852 billion to $2.939 billion, representing an $87 million increase or 3.05 percent.

When the equalized value increases, the mill rate decreases.

The mill rate per $1,000 of property value is calculated at $7.36, compared to last year’s mill rate of $7.57 per $1,000 of property value, representing a decrease in the mill rate of 21 cents per $1,000 of property value.

Taxpayers should be aware that a decrease in the mill rate does not necessarily mean your property taxes will decrease, said Steve Rasmussen, chair of the Dunn County Board.

When the mill rate decreases, if the equalized value of the property increases, the property tax will stay the same or will increase, depending on the amount of increase on the equalized value.

2018 requests

Here are some of the budget request amounts for 2018:

• Administration: $5.96 million.

• Circuit Court: $1.43 million.

• County Clerk: $322,438.

• District Attorney: $635,148.

• Emergency Communications: $1.39 million.

• Extension: $297,503.

• Fair Board: $167,656.

• Libraries: $780,195.

• Medical Examiner: $421,877.

• Public Health: $1.35 million.

• Register of Deeds: $293,295.

• Sheriff’s Department: $6.58 million.

• Treasurer: $237,959.

• Veteran Service: $219,164.

• Solid Waste: $2.75 million.

• Debt Service: $3.73 million.

• Human Services: $10.84 million.

• The Neighbors: $13.66 million.

• Public Works: highway at $12.18 million, and facilities and parks at $3.31 million.

• Transit Commission: $969,864.

• Health Insurance: $8.015 million

• Workers compensation: $817,587.