Preliminary tax rate shows a decrease

YATES COUNTY--The proposed 2019 county budget increases the tax levy by 1.82 percent or $294,709, yet because of a 6.56 percent increase in the value of taxable county property, the preliminary tax rate shows a decrease to $6.26 per thousand.
Overall, the county budget expenses for 2019 are proposed at $44,011,040 or a 2.7 percent increase over 2018. The three largest components of expenses consist of economic assistance (including social services), public safety and general government. Economic assistance is projected up 1.25 percent or $137,500, public safety is planned to be up 2.89 percent or $271,545 and general government is budgeted up 1.08 percent or $57,270.
The 2019 proposed budget includes a 2 percent salary increase negotiated by the emergency communications CSEA bargaining unit and a 3.5 percent increase negotiated by the corrections and other employees unit. Health insurance premium rates are expected to increase 1.77 percent. The county workforce for 2019 includes 227 full time employees and 39 part time employees. In summary, those numbers include an increase of three full- time employees in public safety, a decrease of one full- time staffer in public health and a decrease of a part- time employee in community service.
The property tax levy for 2019 will produce $16,487,541 which is an increase of 1.82 percent.
Sales tax revenue is budgeted at 13 million or an increase of $700,000 over 2018. State and federal aid are planned at $11,438,820 in 2019 which is an increase of $1,052,635 or 10.13 percent.
County officials will review the proposed budget Oct. 30-31. A public hearing for the proposed budget is then planned for Thursday, Nov. 15 and will likely be approved that night.