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Taxes drop in proposed budget
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MONROE - Green County residents could see a modest drop in county property taxes should the county board approve a proposed 2015 budget in November.

The proposed budget for 2015, brought to the Green County Board by the Finance and Accounting Committee Tuesday, would provide a small decrease in property taxes despite a slight tax levy increase.

The proposed budget is seeking to levy about $14.87 million in taxes, an increase of $54,967 from last year's levy of $14.81 million. The tax rate would decrease slightly from last year's $5.84 per $1,000 of equalized assessed property value to the proposed 2015 tax rate of $5.74. This means a home valued at $100,000 will cost a resident $574 in taxes for county purposes, and a home valued at $150,000 will cost a taxpayer $861.

The budget uses surplus funds and sales tax dollars to reduce the levy by more than $2.37 million. Using sales tax revenue and subtracting surplus funds from the undesignated general fund reduces the required levy of $17.24 million to the proposed $14.87 million.

The budgeted expenditures by department show that Health and Social Services accounts for about 23 percent of the total proposed budget. Health and Social Services was budgeted at $20.97 million last year to the proposed $21.39 million for 2015. The largest part of the HSS budget comes from the Pleasant View Nursing Home, which calls for an expenditure budget of $10.73 million in 2015, up from $10.72 million in 2014.

The highest revenue earning for the proposed 2015 budget comes from state grants and aids at $2.79 million, a decrease from $2.89 million in 2014.

The Green County Board will reconvene Nov. 12 to consider the proposed budget.