A 7.08% increase in the total property tax asking is included in the fiscal year 2023 budget that was adopted by the Washington County Board of Supervisors Tuesday.
The proposed tax rate per $1,000 taxable valuation is decreasing for rural areas from $10.17 this current fiscal year to about $10.11, while the urban rate is to increase from $8.26 to about $8.47. Budget Director Cyndi Sinn noted that urban valuations increased this year, and overall she believes this is a conservative budget presented. The board also approved adopting the next fiscal year compensation for elected officials which was approved unanimously last December to use the county compensation board’s recommendation. The salaries for county attorney, auditor, treasurer, recorder, and supervisors will increase by 20%, while the sheriff will see a 35% increase, as well as a $2,000 increase to the supervisor chair stipend for a total of $3,500. Board Chair Richard Young was absent and the increases were adopted on a 3-1 vote with Vice Chair Bob Yoder voting nay. Yoder said he would change the previous vote on the salaries if he could, “I took a lot of grief about it. It was so much, so fast, that was the problem. This is what happened when you have to go out and deal with your constituents, they had a very difficult time understanding it, is what it amounted to.”
For nonelected county officials the board approved a motion last December for a 7% increase to take effect on July 1st with an additional 3% increase on January 1st, 2023, pending review. You can find the entire fiscal year 2023 budget in the board packet below.