Custer County certifies 2025 mill levies, keeps county levy lower than 2024

The Custer County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 19 certified the county and special-district mill levies that will fund local government services in budget year 2025. Commissioners approved the levies and directed staff to forward the certification documents to the state.

County finance staff told the commissioners the county’s general fund levy will be floated down to 8.315 mills from 10.245 mills to comply with statutory “float” requirements. The board also approved levies for road and bridge, public welfare (DHS), self-insurance, and emergency services; combined county appropriations total $2,716,044 for 2025.

The certification package the board approved also lists levies for towns and special districts in Custer County, including the towns of Silver Cliff and Westcliffe, Rye and Wet Mountain fire protection districts, Round Mountain Water and Sanitation, the Upper Arkansas Water Conservancy District, West Custer Hospital District and West Custer Library District, and the two school districts that collect property taxes within the county.

Finance staff said the county’s certified figures reflect a temporary tax-credit “float” calculation required by state rules; as a result, the county’s levy is lower than the prior year. Total tax revenue certified for all jurisdictions shown on staff’s documents was presented to the board as approximately $10.0 million across all jurisdictions; the county’s share is the $2.716 million shown above.

Commissioners moved and seconded a motion to certify the levies and revenue for the 2025 budget year; the board recorded aye votes and instructed staff to file the certified forms with the state.