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Hampshire County Commission schedules public hearing after property-value-driven levy rollback
Summary
Commissioners agreed to advertise a public hearing on proposed property tax levy options after county clerk said state rollback rules require adjusting the levy rate following strong assessment growth.
The Hampshire County Commission agreed on March 11 to advertise a public hearing on a proposed property-tax levy after the county clerk reported the county’s increased assessed values triggered a mandatory rollback calculation.
Clerk Scribe told commissioners the county had been at a class-1 levy rate of 14.30 cents per $100 of assessed value and that the rollback calculation indicates a rate of 14.03 cents per $100; under state law the county may hold a hearing and adopt a rate up to the statutory maximum before a published hearing if it complies with notification rules. "Our rollback indicates that we need to go to 14.03¢ per 100 of assessed value," the clerk said.
The clerk presented revenue estimates showing that at the rollback rate the county would receive roughly $5,000,973 and at the higher allowable rate revenues would be about $6,088,122, a difference of approximately $114,941. The clerk also noted that increased insurance costs and modest employee raises could consume much of the additional revenue.
Commissioner Mance and Commissioner Bridal both said they supported holding a hearing so the public could weigh in; Commissioner Mance noted most residents oppose increases but said the hearing would allow community input and consideration of public-works needs. "I think that it's an opportunity for us to actually hold a public hearing and to take that public consideration into account," Commissioner Mance said.
The commission directed staff to run the advertisement for a hearing to be held during the commission meeting on March 25; the clerk said ad copy needed to be submitted to the paper by 10 a.m. the next business day to meet print deadlines. The clerk also said the office could publish an example household-impact calculation online and gave an illustrative example: for a $200,000 assessed class-2 property the difference between the two rates would be about $6 annually; for a $1 million assessed value the difference would be about $54.
No final levy decision was made on March 11; commissioners said they will decide after the public hearing and after department-head budget presentations required later in the month.
