.jpg)
HARTINGTON — Representatives from four Cedar County taxing entities were on hand here Monday night to answer taxpayer questions.
The city of Hartington was one of the entities required to attend the special Truth in Taxation public meeting.
The meeting is designed to give the public a chance to comment on proposed property tax increases that exceed Nebraska’s “allowable growth percentage.”
The hearing, dubbed the “pink postcard meeting,” drew about 35 people from all corners of the county to the Hartington City Auditorium.
Hartington Mayor Mark Becker told the audience the city took on quite a few big projects and expenditures last budget year, but is now planning to work toward just paying down debt.
Assistant Randolph City Clerk Josh Rayford told audience members the Randolph City Council is working to keep expenses in line. However, he said increases in the cost of insurance and the expected cost of replacing HVAC units at the city library and city auditorium forced the city to seek more funding.
Laurel City Administrator Dan Kuhlman said his budget dipped because the city is no longer operating the nursing home and the city has also signed a lease agreement with Cedar-Knox Public Power to operate the city electric plant.
Despite the reduced spending plan, the city of Laurel’s property tax requirement will climb from $290,492 to $339,074, an increase of nearly 17 percent. The additional levy will be used entirely for non-bond purposes.
Cedar County Clerk Jessica Schmit guided Monday’s discussion and also represented Cedar County for its portion of the program.
Schmit said Cedar County’s budget of $29.5 million exceeds last year’s operating budget by 3.4 percent Schmit said one of the main reasons for the increase was because Commissioners raised the base wage across the board for county employees to make Cedar County more competitive with other entities. That decision means about a $400,000 increase in wages, she said.
Another reason for the increase was a drastic increase in the Sheriff’s Department budget, which jumped by $250,000. For the first time in many years, that department is now fully staffed, Schmit said. When the department was short-handed, Sheriff Larry Koranda tried to be frugal and didn’t budget for the extra manpower, Schmidt said.
Schmit said most other county offices only increased budgets by the money required to pay more in wages, and insurance.
Schmit said the county is in a good financial position and had been for a long time.
“We are in a position to handle any emergency if something were to happen,” she said.
Many of the questions at Monday’s hearing pertained more to property valuation and state spending, questions the county officials on hand could not answer.
Schmit said questions about valuation should be directed to the County Auditor or a State Senator.
Proposed requests
Cedar County: $8,466,677.07 City of Hartington: $809,319.32 City of Laurel: $339,074.19 City of Randolph: $352,265.78
