Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Levy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Hampshire County Commission sets levy at 14.3¢, moves budget to reflect higher-deductible employee plan
Summary
After a statutorily required rollback hearing and no public comment, the commission voted to set the levy at 14.3¢ per $100 assessed value and directed staff to submit a levy estimate that contemplates shifting employees to a higher‑deductible Plan C (projected county savings ≈ $300,000), with employee briefings planned.
The Hampshire County Commission voted March 24 to set the county’s levy rate at 14.3¢ per $100 of assessed value for fiscal year 2026–27 after a statutorily required rollback hearing and commissioners’ discussion about maintaining last year’s revenue level.
Clerk Strait opened the hearing with a step-by-step explanation of the calculation and what it means for average taxpayers. “For $200,000 of assessed value … the average taxpayer would for class 2 property be paying $553.60, and at the increased rate … that would be $561.20, the difference being $7.52,” Clerk Strait said in presenting the clerk’s recommended figures.
The hearing was convened under a state rollback rule; Commissioner Mann explained why he preferred maintaining last year’s effective levy rate. “If we fall into a pattern of reducing every year by, you know, state code, then essentially what we’re going to do is we’re going to reduce gradually our ability to provide public services,” he said during the debate.
No members of the public spoke during the hearing. On a motion put forward by Commissioner England and seconded by Commissioner Eglanger, the commission approved the 14.3¢ rate (vote recorded in the meeting as ayes and a single nay). Clerk Strait said the commission must now submit a levy estimate based on that rate to the auditor’s office.
Immediately after the levy vote commissioners discussed an administrative budget decision tied to employee health benefits. Clerk Strait described a plan to move employees to a higher-deductible option (Plan C) while funding the deductible through HRA cards; staff estimate the change could yield roughly $300,000 in county savings. The clerk stressed the change would be included in the levy estimate for planning purposes only and that a final benefit decision would come after additional outreach: a meeting with employees and a benefits representative was scheduled for April 2.
Several commissioners emphasized the need to verify how Plan C would affect out‑of‑pocket costs and cost-sharing after the deductible is met before any final action. Commissioners voted to include Plan C as the working assumption for the budget submission, noting the commission can later revise the budget if new information requires it.
Next steps: Clerk Strait will submit the levy estimate to the auditor’s office and proceed with employee briefings; any final switch in benefits would require follow‑up votes or budget revisions.
