Supervisors unanimously approve county budget – Levy rate increased by nearly $1 due to expensive projects, unfunded mandates

By Zach Jensen,

The Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the county’s proposed Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget, following a public hearing held on the matter, during its regular meeting Monday morning. If approved by the state, the budget would include about a $1 levy rate increase, which County Auditor Ben Steines said is the result of several expensive projects combined with a decrease in valuation.

Steines told the supervisors that the county’s main projects contributing to the budget include the new Information Technology professional for Winneshiek County Emergency Management, the cost of the new 911 towers, the recent purchase of the former Spectrum building and skyrocketing property insurance rates. 

“Property insurance rates went up quite a bit this year, which, anybody who’s done their own personal insurance, knows that’s not just a trend,” said Steines during the meeting. “Everybody is paying higher rates and getting less coverage. Those are the big factors increasing the levy rate.”

Steines continued by explaining that in the proposed budget, both the general fund and rural fund, are the same as last year.

Full article can be found in the April 23 Public Opinion Newspaper.

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