The Washington County Board of Supervisors approved the fiscal year 2022 maximum property tax dollars during Tuesday’s meeting.

A public hearing was held for the resolution, during which County Budget Director Cyndi Sinn mentioned that this is the second year counties and municipalities have been required to hold a separate public hearing for the matter since a state law was passed, as well as a two-thirds majority vote to approve a property tax levy that generates a revenue increase of 2% or more. The maximum property tax dollars proposed for fiscal year 2022 are $8,890,219 for general county services and $1,523,812 for rural county services.

Sinn commented that a significant change this year is a 26.08% decrease in rural services, due to the fact that during the current fiscal year the county is paying off their secondary road bond debt, which is being funded by the rural service and debt service levies, “When we assumed new debt for the communications project, our debt was structured to remain stable. So our tax asking wouldn’t be fluctuating dramatically, but the debt that is coming off for the roads was partially funded half and half by rural services levy and the debt service levy, and the trade off for the new debt is being funded totally out of the debt service levy.”

The maximum property dollars requested show a 2% increase from fiscal year 2021.