Gage County Board of Equalization approves preliminary tax-rate resolution for 2025-26

The Gage County Board of Equalization voted 6-0 on Oct. 15 to adopt Resolution 25-10, a preliminary set of tax rates for political subdivisions for the 2025-26 year. The board said the resolution will be revisited and amended at its next meeting to incorporate a small number of jurisdictions that have not yet submitted values.

The action came during a brief meeting at 8:30 a.m. in which the board approved the agenda and minutes before taking up the resolution. Board members present listed at roll call were Board member Jurgens, Board member Dorn, Board member Thiemann, Board member Axby, Board member Claybaugh and Board member Adams. After discussion of the packet and missing returns from a few jurisdictions, the board approved Resolution 25-10 on a 6-0 vote.

According to staff, the county holds outside agencies to the same dollar amount as last year except for Nebraska Extension, which was handled separately and is not part of the tax-asking agencies on the packet. Several jurisdictions—identified in the meeting as smaller cities, villages, townships and certain rural fire districts—either have lowered mill levies compared with previous years or have not yet submitted final valuation figures; some values are not due until the 20th of the month. The assessor's office staff told the board that the county does not control the budgets of cities, villages, townships, school districts or rural fire districts and acts only as the administrator that collects and redistributes property-tax dollars based on the budgets those subdivisions submit.

Board members and staff noted mill-rate figures for several rural fire districts discussed during the meeting: one district was reported at 0.02722 mills, another at 0.028499, and another at 0.015 (values read from the packet as presented). Staff said some districts have seen decreases over the last three years; several others remain unchanged. The board chair noted these mill-rate movements can affect taxpayers within those rural districts.

Assessor's office staff (identified in the meeting as Miss Milligan) was asked about reassessment progress for Beatrice and other areas. Milligan reported that work outside the small towns is ongoing: staff member Josh is working on acreage parcels in the south and on house valuations. No schedule change or delay was announced in the meeting.

The board voted to adopt the resolution with the understanding staff will return an amended version at the next meeting to incorporate outstanding jurisdictional submissions. The meeting adjourned at about 8:37 a.m.

Votes at a glance - Approve agenda as presented: Passed, vote recorded as 6 in favor (mover not specified in the transcript). - Approve minutes of previous meeting: Passed, moved by Doran, seconded by Adams, vote recorded as 6 in favor. - Resolution 25-10 (set tax rates for political subdivisions for 2025-26): Passed, motion to approve moved by Dorn, seconded by Jurgens; vote recorded as 6 in favor.

What happens next: Staff will update the resolution packet with final valuations and any corrected mill figures and present an amended resolution at the board's next meeting in approximately two weeks.