Wayne County sets 2023 tax rate
On December 22, the Wayne County commissioners adopted the 2023 General and Debt Service Budget, which reduces county tax millage from 5.23 to 3.24 because of the countywide reassessment recently completed.
The finalized 3.24 millage rate is lower than the estimated 3.49 millage rate stated in assessment letters mailed to every Wayne County property owner last summer.
The 2023 budget was approved for $38,924,046.57, an increase of $ 1,369,666.09 or 3.6 % increase from last year, based mostly on slight salary increases, increased benefits costs, and increased cost of materials and services, the commissioners' announcement states.
Wayne County commissioners committed to a revenue neutral reassessment for 2023, which means that the total of county taxes collected in 2022 would be the same in 2023. Because property values increased significantly since the last reassessment in 2004, the millage rate was decreased to 3.24, a decrease of 1.99 mills from the 2022 rate.
Property taxes make up approximately 65% of county income.
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Additional sources of income are state and federal grant funds, fees for services and miscellaneous fines. The county had $1,324,810.94 in carryover revenue from 2022 from higher-than-expected inmate boarding fees collected from other counties, and a $187,000 elections security grant.
The commissioners' release states that the county is continuing to upgrade parks and recreation opportunities, to make Wayne County more enjoyable for residents and visitors as well as more attractive to targeted economic development.
By capitalizing on state and federal grants, with some local match dollars, the county is also actively investing in broadband upgrades, an agriculture innovation center and a recovery to work ecosystem project.
They take note that the board has continued to balance a fiscally conservative approach in meeting required mandates and providing essential services, while also streamlining expenses and asking departments to do more with less through creative means when possible.
Some of the contributing factors that have cut back on expenses include stable health insurance claims in 2022 and lower than budgeted salary line items in several departments due to the inability to fill positions.
This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Wayne County commissioners set 2023 tax rate, adopt budget
