Greene County commissioners on Monday approved including several proposed local income-tax levies in a draft ordinance and set a public hearing for Oct. 20.

The board voted to include a 0.1% local income-tax lid for the county acute-care hospital, approve a 0.15% judicial-lid rate for court-related salaries and benefits, and increase the correctional-facility lid by 0.10 percentage points to 0.30% (the change reallocates allowable operating and debt-service shares under state law). The board also authorized staff to publish required public-notice advertising and scheduled the public hearing for Oct. 20 at the regular 4 p.m. meeting.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the actions are meant to build a temporary revenue buffer ahead of statewide tax changes enacted in Senate Bill 1 and expected redistribution of certified shares beginning in 2027–28. Commissioners and staff said local revenue changes could help preserve county services and buildings while the Legislature and governor finalize rules and certified-share calculations.

Hospital lid and fiscal context

The board debated the proposed 0.1% hospital lid at length. A representative of Greene County General Hospital told commissioners the hospital was “operating right now at a little over $2,000,000 loss for the year” and that Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements are low in the county’s patient mix: “Medicare is about 27¢ on the dollar” and Medicaid “somewhere around 22.” The hospital representative said the county hospital serves a high share of Medicare and Medicaid patients and noted recent capital work, including a new ICU funded by a USDA grant and hospital matching funds from bond-refinancing savings.

Some commissioners said they were reluctant to raise a hospital-specific lid while other county needs (public safety, judicial operations, EMS, economic development) remain pressing; one commissioner said the hospital “is not my first priority” among funding needs. Other commissioners argued the lid is a modest investment to help preserve 500 hospital jobs and local access to services such as OB, MRI diagnostics and operating-room capacity, and to avoid the county later incurring higher costs if the hospital closed or transferred ownership.

Judicial lid

On the judicial lid, staff provided a numeric estimate of the revenue at a 0.15% rate (approximately $1,303,006.78 on the figures presented) and explained the levy can be used for court reporters, bailiffs, the court administrator and related salary-and-benefit costs. Commissioners debated whether to adopt the full 0.15% or a smaller increase; the board ultimately authorized inclusion of the 0.15% rate in the proposed ordinance.

Correctional facility lid

The board also approved increasing the correctional facility lid by 0.10 percentage points to 0.30%. Staff explained that, at the 0.3% level, up to 0.2% may be used for operating expenses and 0.1% for debt service (the historical pattern has been debt service first, then repairs). Commissioners discussed whether correctional-facility funds could be used for community corrections or community-transition programs; staff said the statute’s language is not explicitly clear and that they would research allowable uses before spending decisions are made.

Public hearing and advertising

Because the county’s local newspaper is published two days a week and is not locally owned, commissioners and staff said the schedule for legally required public-notice advertising is tight. The board voted to set a public hearing for Oct. 20 at 4 p.m. and asked staff to submit the advertisement to the newspaper for publication on the nearest available press date to meet statutory notice windows.

Votes at a glance

- Include 0.1% acute-care hospital lid in proposed ordinance — Motion passed (roll call): Brian: yes; Randall: no; Brent: yes; Karen: yes; Chair: yes. Outcome: passed.
- Include 0.15% judicial lid in proposed ordinance — Motion passed (roll call): Brian: yes; Randall: no; Brent: yes; Karen: yes; Chair: yes. Outcome: passed.
- Increase correctional facility lid by 0.10 (to 0.30%) — Motion passed (roll call): unanimous yes. Outcome: passed.
- Set public hearing for proposed ordinance — Motion passed by voice vote; hearing set for Oct. 20 at 4 p.m.

What the motions do — and do not — decide

The board’s votes authorized publishing and advertising the proposed ordinance and setting a public hearing; they did not finalize tax levies. Commissioners said formal adoption will require the advertised public hearing and subsequent action after public comment. Several commissioners emphasized that the lids as approved are temporary (many local income-tax levies under the new law have two-year windows) and that the board can revisit rates after the state’s redistribution rules and certified-share numbers are finalized.

Next steps

County staff will submit the required advertisement to the newspaper and prepare the proposed ordinance and supporting financial exhibits for the Oct. 20 public hearing. Staff and legal advisers indicated they will research statutory guidance on allowable uses for the correctional-facility lid (including whether funds may be used for community corrections) and provide more detailed budget projections to commissioners ahead of the hearing.