Work session flags possible 3.5‑mill debt service increase; staff estimates modest homeowner impact

County staff told the council the debt service fund revenue is expected to total about $1,028,813, an increase of $218,182, and said staff are recommending approval of a general‑obligation bond and a lease‑purchase to fund several capital needs. Because revenues are uncertain, staff illustrated a worst‑case scenario in which a 3.5‑mill increase in the debt service levy might be necessary to generate the requested revenue.

Luckettone told the council that, under the 3.5‑mill worst‑case example, the impact on an example $100,000 assessed home would be about $14 per year; for a $300,000 property the example increase would be $40 per year. “For a $100,000 assessed home, it'd be a $14 increase,” Luckettone said. He added that the county auditor may be able to offset part of that need with reserves and that staff prefer to present the worst case to the council so members understand potential maximum exposure.

Staff said the proposed borrowing would support payments on earlier installment and lease purchase debt and fund additional lease purchases for new fire engines, ambulances and public works equipment; staff emphasized payments for the proposed new lease purchase would begin after the next fiscal year so that the immediate budget year would not include those payments.

Council asked staff to calculate the exact taxpayer impact and several members requested a short recess while the auditor prepared illustrative numbers; staff returned with the examples cited above. No millage increase was adopted at the work session; staff said the auditor would continue to review options that might reduce the required levy.