Hubbard County officials on Friday presented the proposed 2025 county budget and a $21,400,000 property tax levy — a 5.9% increase from the previous year — and the board voted to approve the levy and associated resolution.

Jeff, who led the Truth in Taxation presentation, told the board and members of the public that the proposed levy would fund a roughly $78,000,000 county budget and that payroll costs, including cost-of-living and step increases and higher health-insurance expenses, are primary drivers of the increase. "And overall we're proposing a $21,400,000 levy on a $78,000,000 budget, which is a 5.9% increase from last year," Jeff said during the presentation.

Why it matters: Jeff said some of the year-over-year rise in reported revenues and expenditures is driven by roughly $13 million in pass-through highway project funding and that federal capital projects create cyclic spikes in highway expenditures. He also told the board that the county has seen continuing tax-capacity growth tied to a rising real-estate market, which absorbs part of the levy rise from new capacity.

Budget details and drivers: Jeff described several components of the proposed levy and budget: a notable share to public safety (about 38 cents of every levy dollar in his presentation), roughly 16% allocated to Road and Bridge, 20% to Social Services, 7% to capital reserves, 4% to debt service and about 15% to other county operations. He warned that payroll and an increase in budgeted full-time equivalents (FTEs) contributed materially to the budget increase, calling out multi-year contracts and an educator position among contributors.

Public concerns and follow-up: Members of the public raised questions about assessments and solid-waste charges. One attendee described a commercial property assessment that relied on a hauler listing that the attendee said was incorrect and said the assessor's numbers "were coming up with" waste estimates that seemed too large. Jeff acknowledged the concern and said staff would review usage data and that solid-waste operations are run as an enterprise fund supported by fees rather than by the county levy: "The solid waste operation in the county is an enterprise fund, so it doesn't get any tax revenue," Jeff said. He also offered to produce a breakdown of levy revenue by property class on request.

Interim county attorney and personnel note: Jeff said the resolution now includes salary for an interim county attorney and that, following the interview committee's recommendation, the formal appointment will be made at the Jan. 7 organizational meeting and will be effective retroactive to Jan. 1. "That appointment will be made on January 7th at the organizational meeting," he said, adding the interim has effectively been working in that role since Jan. 1.

Vote and next steps: A board member moved to approve the budget and levy, a second was recorded and the chair called for the vote. The chair announced the motion carried. The board adjourned after recording a motion and vote to close the meeting.

What was not decided: The meeting did not change property valuations (those are handled in the spring when value notices are mailed and appeals are heard). Jeff said property valuation conversations occur when value notices are delivered in February or March and at local and county board-of-appeals sessions later in the year.

The county staff and board indicated they will follow up with more detailed breakdowns on levy shares by property class and will review any submitted solid-waste usage data that could affect fee calculations.