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Exemptions keep county budget under cap
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MONROE - The Green County Board of Supervisors will determine Wednesday how much property owners will pay in taxes in 2009.

The board has a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Green County Courthouse.

Preliminary budget numbers show an increase of 27 cents in the tax rate for 2009 compared to the 2008 tax rate. The 2009 rate is $4.93 compared to $4.66 in 2008. The new rate means that a person with a house valued at $150,000 will pay $739.50 in county property taxes in 2009 compared to $699 in 2008. The owner of a farm valued at $400,000 will pay $1,972.00 in 2009 compared to $1,864 in 2008.

Green County Finance Director Rhonda Hunter said county department heads looked for ways to keep their budgets from increasing too much next year, knowing the county has to keep within the state-mandated 2 percent increase. They were able to trim their budgets and keep increases to a minimum, she said.

The county increased its budget from about $11.86 million in 2008 to $12.92 million in 2009, which was an actual increase of about 8.95 percent.

However, the county was able to exempt some items from the annual budget in order to reach the 2 percent increase.

Hunter said the county can exempt debt service payments, bridge and culvert repairs and library payments. Exempting those items allow the county budget to be under the 2 percent increase cap.