County’s mill levy likely to rise

The county’s mill levy could increase by nearly 3 mills for next year.

According to preliminary estimates and if the Franklin County Commission approves the budget they’ve worked on, the county’s mill levy would go up 2.976 mills to about 60 mills.

For the owner of a $100,000 house, the increase would be about $34 more.

The figure doesn’t include other city or school district property tax levies.

The proposed levy also doesn’t include any proposed money for a new jail or juvenile detention center, County Administrator Lisa Johnson said.

An architect has been working on proposals for a blue-ribbon committee of citizens and law enforcement officials who are wrestling with overcrowding at the jail.

At a minimum, the juvenile detention center would have to be moved away from the jail location, many of the officials and the architect have said.

Commissioners have said they’ve been squeezed by the increase in fuel costs and associated costs of materials because of the higher fuel costs.

The county also faced shakier reserves because of deep spending cuts two years ago, they’ve said.

The county’s employee health insurance also is seeing shaky reserves, Johnson said.

For the last two years, the county, which has a self-insurance plan, has seen an unusually high number of claims, she said.

As a result, the county may have to add to cash to the the insurance fund from reserves, she said.

Commissioners also considered putting on a special surcharge of either $25 or $50 per month — most employees would pay $50 — to shore up the health insurance plan for next year, especially if the large number of claims continues next year.

However, the county will have to replace some trucks and road equipment in 2009, Commission Chair Sue Farrell said.

Facing a budget crunch, the commission opted to put off the purchases this year but the deteriorating condition of the equipment won’t make that feasible for next year, she said.