County OKS small tax levy increase

The Vernon County Commission conducted an open hearing in its chambers on the second floor of the Vernon County Courthouse on Tuesday, Aug. 31, to propose and set the property tax levy for the 2010 tax year at $0.1713 up just a little from the 2009 levy of $0.1617.

Vernon County Clerk Tammi Beach said, "its not a big increase at all," just over one cent. Beach informed the commission that the assessed valuation for the county for the 2010 tax year had gone up over the valuation of the 2009 tax year by just over $3 million.

The assessed valuation of property in the railroad and utilities category saw the largest increase by a total of $2,495,894. Real estate property saw an increase in valuation by $1,071,270 and personal property valuation fell by $475,651. The county tax levy is set by a state formula and is capped at a ceiling of $0.3693.

What the increase means for the taxpayer is property taxes will increase by $10.20 per $100,000 assessed valuation. Commissioners Bonnie McCord, Neal Gerster and Kennon Shaw accepted the proposed levy with a unanimous roll call vote, and in other business, voted unanimously to enter into an agreement with the city of Nevada to collect its property taxes.