Colfax approves 2022 budget of $1.24 million and $472,000 property tax levy
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — The Colfax Village Board has approved a 2022 budget of $1,241,660 and a village property tax levy of $471,845.
The property tax levy of $471,845 is the maximum that the village board can levy, said Lynn Niggemann, village administrator-clerk-treasurer, at the Colfax Village Board’s budget hearing December 2.
The levy includes $645 that the village will be paying the Town of Colfax to account for annexing the Viking Bowl property into the village, she said, noting state law requires the municipality that annexed the property to pay the other municipality for five years.
The money the village will be paying to the Town of Colfax is an allowable increase on the levy limit worksheet submitted to the state, Niggemann said.
No members of the public spoke about the 2022 budget during the public hearing.
The property tax levy of $471,845 compares to a levy for the 2021 budget of $468,000, representing an increase of $3,845.
The budget amount of $1,241,600 compares to the 2021 budget of $1,220,974, representing an increase of $20,686.
In addition to the property tax levy for the village of $471,845, the total levy amount of $1,318,621.59 includes $348,319.40 for Dunn County, representing an increase of $10,153.63 over last year’s amount of $338,165.77; $452,488 for the Colfax school district, representing an increase of $35,546 over last year’s amount of $416,924; and $45,969.19 for Chippewa Valley Technical College, representing an decrease of $1,315.13 over last year’s amount of $47,284.32.
The increment for the village’s tax increment financing districts will be $39,915.66 for the county; $54,071.11 for the village; $51,852.88 for the school district and $5,267.85 for CVTC for a total amount of $151,107.50.
The property taxes from improvements in the TIF districts go into a special fund the village uses to make infrastructure improvements in the TIF districts.
The amounts on the tax levy resolution approved by the village board include the amount of the tax levy from the taxing authority plus the amount for the TIF districts, and includes $388,235.06 for county taxes; $525,916.11 for village taxes; $504,340.88 for school taxes and $51,237.04 for Chippewa Valley Technical College.
The mill rate for village residents will be $21.58 per $1,000 of property value, which compares to last year’s mill rate of $26.92 per $1,000 of property value.
The village’s property values have increased, and a rule of thumb is when the property value increases, the mill rate decreases.
The 2022 budget includes an increase for the village’s per capita to the Colfax Rescue Squad, from $19,349 for the 2021 budget to $24,356; an increase for administration from $173,400 in 2021 to $177,611; an increase for the police department, from $210,400 to $214,683; an increase in parks from $54,450 in 2021 to $62,940; a decrease in the streets budget from $196,200 in 2021 to $191,966; a decrease in the cemetery budget, from $24,200 in 2021 to $19,000; a decrease in the capital outlay budget, from $63,950 in 2021 to $61,664; and a decrease in debt service from $79,921 to $78,820.
The capital outlay includes $3,000 for a computer; $8,000 for the police squad vehicle; $10,000 for streets equipment; $36,000 for streets; $1,000 for a parks mower; and $800 for the cemetery.
The Colfax Rescue Squad budget for 2022 is $448,038. which compares to a budget of $414,206 for 2021.
The village’s water utility budget for 2022 is $278,882, which compares to a budget of $279,112 for 2021.
The village’s sewer utility budget for 2022 is $209,500, which compares to a budget of $209,600 for 2021
Colfax Solid Waste and Recycling’s budget for 2022 is $354,686, which compares to a budget of $354,684 for 2021.
Other business
In other business, the Colfax Village Board approved a motion authorizing Niggemann to use her judgement to select a health insurance plan that is the best for both the village and for the village’s employees.
Niggemann has been researching health insurance plans and gathering information for several weeks.
The premiums for the existing health insurance company, Health Traditions, and the “gap” policy to help employees pay the deductible, will increase by 7.2 percent, Niggemann said.
The existing health insurance deductible is $7,000, but with the current gap policy, employees pay 100 percent out-of-pocket until the amount reaches $2,500.