Presenter says mill levy largely unchanged, urges 3–6 months of reserves

At a Marion County Council meeting, a presenter briefed members on the draft 2027 budget, saying the mill levy is "pretty well staying the same" and walking the council through how assessed-value changes affect individual property tax bills.

The presenter explained the revenue-neutral-rate comparison — "one year was 68, in the current year is about 69.4" — and showed how a modest assessed-value uptick would translate into a roughly 1.33-mill increase for owners whose property assessments rose. "So each mill that you have is increased this year by $276," the presenter said while illustrating how mill adjustments flow to taxable dollars.

Why it matters: the presenter urged the council to follow guidance from the Government Finance Officers Association and target three to six months of unencumbered cash reserves. He cited estimated year-end reserve levels of about 1.89 months for the general fund and about 1.66 months for the utility fund under current projections and noted that continued inflation and higher operating costs (for example, transportation fuel) could widen budget pressure.

Council members asked for additional detail on monthly expenditures and noted that final assessed values will not be certified until October. The presenter also reviewed short-term municipal investment yields to explain how the county’s idle cash might earn returns while reserves are maintained.

Next steps: councilors agreed to a budget study session next week to review proposed cuts and refinements; staff will return with updated numbers and paper copies for review. No formal budget adoption occurred at this meeting.