This chart, provided by the Langlade County Finance Department, illustrates how county tax dollars are spent. |
Quickly, quietly, budget approved for the county Oct. 27, 2009 With a single dissenting vote, the Langlade County Board of Supervisors approved a 2010 budget that calls for a total tax levy of $8.7 million.
The budget was the focus of a full evening of discussion last week, and was passed just minutes after a brief update by Finance Director Gary Olsen. The only no vote was cast by town of Elcho representative Richard Olsen and there were no comments during the public hearing.
The levy includes $8.4 million for debt service and general county operations. There is also an additional $296,320, an amount set by the state, that is targeted for forestry purposes.
The tax levy will increase $245,015, right at the 3 percent limit allowed by the state. The tax rate is estimated at $4.85 per $1,000 of equalized valuation, a 3.56 percent or a 17 cent increase. That means that the owner of a $100,000 piece of property will pay $485 in county property taxes, a $17 increase.
The county started the budget process at $418,385 over the amount needed to meet the state mandated freeze, which allows counties to increase their levies by the percentage of new construction or 3 percent, whatever is higher. With only a 1.15 percent gain in new construction, the county was allowed the 3 percent, or $245,015, figure.
The final tally was reached following a series of difficult reductions in most departments along with trimming the capital improvement project list.
Projects removed from the fund include $116,719 in general undesignated dollars, $28,600 for a new tractor, $105,000 for work in the maintenance shop, $165,000 to re-roof and paint the cattle barn, and $30,000 to recarpet the corridors in the Health Care Center.
In other business, the board recognized Bernice Andraschko for 23 years of dedicated service to the Department on Aging, where she is retiring as office manager.
Andraschko received a round of applause and a plaque from supervisor Pat McKinney-Rice.
Six zoning changes were approved without comment as part of the consent agenda. They included:
—Harold Pomar, land in the town of Polar from exclusive agriculture to agriculture/forestry/residential for a possible residence.
—Dean Williams, land in the town of Elcho from single family residence to multiple family and condominium district for establishing a duplex in an existing home.
—Kurt and Lynn Pecha, land in the town of Upham from single family residential to commercial for boat storage.
—the estate of William Dahlke, land in the town of Polar from exclusive agriculture to agriculture/forestry/residential for creation of two lots less than 35 acres.
—and two requests from James Draeger to rezone land in the town of Neva from exclusive agriculture to agriculture/forestry/residential for creation of residential lots.
Supervisors also re-appointed Linda Falkowski to the Community Development Advisory Board. They welcomed Molly Frisch, Mary Fronek and Emiley Boyd as the Teens in Government representatives.
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