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Show CdimmP MM$ On TdmJLewy m By MARK FOTHERINGHAM FARMINGTON -- Even with the creation of a "ew disaster mill levy, Davis County is holding the 'lne on the overall tax assessment rate. LAST WEDNESDAY, the county commission set jhe 1983-84 county-wide tax levy at 17.21 mills. The figure is up only .02 from last year, representing a ht increase of about 50 cents to $1 .00 on a $60,000 home. 1 . Tne relatively insignificant increase is surprising $10 m view of the fact that a full one mill was added this year to help pay for disaster costs. Another new levy ( mills) has also been tacked on for paramedic services. 1IN ORDER to keep the total mill levy fairly level, . e commission had to adopt downward adjustments ln 'he county's other tax categories. The largest decrease de-crease (1.72 mills) was adopted in the general mill gszgrr"" ''"rrrrzziiiiiii levy with smaller decreases for library, flood control and capital project levies. The decreases in the various mill levies don't exactly ex-actly mean that fewer property tax dollars will be collected. Increased property values have boosted 1983-84 total assessed valuation figures up about eight percent. COMMISSION Chairman Glen Saunders explained ex-plained that because of the increased valuations, the county was able to hold steady on the mill levy. "Without the increase for disasters, we would have dropped the mill levy," said Com. Harry Ger-lach. Ger-lach. The commissioners explained that the new disaster dis-aster levy was made possible with the passage of Senate Bill 57 earlier this year. "THERE IS still some uncertainty as to what course the legislature will take in their special session ses-sion as to how much the state will help out with disaster costs," said Com. Saunders. He added that the amount of disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is also still undetermined. unde-termined. Another mill levy decrease is scheduled for the unincorporated "Special Service Area" of the county. coun-ty. The rate for fire protection and use of the BARD landfill dropped from 4 mills to 3.56 mills. THE COUNTY usually borrows money with bonds to finance their operations until tax monies start coming in. This year, however, the county is going to try living off surplus funds from last year to tide them over. County Auditor Ludeen Gibbons explained that the county usually reinvests the money it borrows looking for at least a two percent spread. That favorable favor-able an investment was unavailable on the market this year and without that two percent spread, it is just "not good business" to make taxpayers repay the loan balance, she said. "WE WILL have a downfall of about $100,000 because we are not borrowing money this year," she added. |
