[This transcript was generated automatically from audio using AI and hasn't been reviewed by a person -- it can contain mistakes, including plausible-sounding sentences that were never actually said. Treat it as a starting point, not a verbatim record.] [0:08] All right, welcome to the panel of County Board of Supervisors August 17, 2021, 26 special session meeting. We are in order. Well, let's close it we can get and I'll see him confirm attendance by phone. I have supervisor Vice Chairman Sirty on the phone. [0:27] I am here. [0:29] You are there. [0:30] Supervisor Goodman. [0:34] President. [0:34] President. [0:35] Supervisor Miller. [0:38] President. [0:39] All right. [0:40] Thank you. [0:41] I've got a supervisor video hello sitting over here in my right and do we have this Kennedy [0:45] online or on the phone. [0:49] President. [0:49] President. All right. [0:50] Thank you all. [0:52] All right. [0:52] We have one item before. [0:53] Since discussion approval to approval of the fiscal year, [0:56] 2026, 2027, property tax levies and rates for all government entities, [1:02] of Penal County, and I have, all it says not you. [1:07] It says Andy was, but there's why I was welcome. [1:17] Turn your mic on though, I think. [1:23] Is that on? [1:23] There we go. [1:24] All right, starting over. [1:25] Good morning. [1:26] Chairman McLaren, members of the board. [1:28] Blue Bay Williams, budget supervisor with the Office of Budget and Finance, presenting this [1:33] Here's property tax rate and levy presentation along with the agenda item today. [1:38] It is to adopt and certify the fiscal year 2020-6, 2020-7 rates, which is in compliance [1:47] with state statutes. [1:49] Before we begin the presentation, I'd like to take a quick moment to recognize the [1:53] team behind the information before you today, gathering every tax levy and rate in Penao County [2:00] requires teamwork between the treasures, assessors, school superintendents and the budget team. [2:07] So thank you to all of you for your hard work and dedication. [2:14] So we began by looking at last year county wide average rates. [2:18] So this is fiscal year 2526. [2:22] Penal County had a total combined rate of $12.32 this place is near the higher end of the [2:33] cents. [2:37] This year's tax dollar. Every property tax dollar [2:41] levied across the county. About 26 cents goes to [2:45] Penal County. The remaining 74 cents funds other local [2:49] jurisdictions such as your schools, cities, towns, and [2:54] special districts. We see here that the schools make up [2:57] the majority of the dollar. [3:02] Turning to our primary rate [3:04] history. Penal County has consistently worked to reduce [3:08] It's primary property tax rate over time. [3:11] We look at fiscal year 2223. [3:14] Our rate was $3.56. [3:17] And for fiscal year 2627, we're lowering it further [3:22] to $3.26. [3:25] What this also shows is that the county is operating at 62% [3:30] of its maximum tax rate. [3:32] So this means that to reach the maximum tax rate, [3:35] there is an additional $88 million that this board could have taxed its residents. [3:41] However, you did not. You chose to reduce it again this fiscal year. [3:49] Here is how our proposed fiscal year 2627 rates compare statewide. [3:55] For the secondary rates, I'd like to note that when we're collecting that information from other counties, [4:01] we are ensuring that we are comparing to secondary rates that are only similar to ours, [4:06] which is your flood and library districts. [4:09] So this year, our primary rate reduced by 3%. [4:15] It sits at 3.2607 and our combined rate is 3.508. [4:23] Well, our rates are above the statewide average of $2.22 cents. [4:27] We do see that our strategy does continue [4:29] to push these rates downward. [4:31] The county is the highest reduction for fiscal year 2627 primary rate reduction at 10 cent or combined at 11 cent. [4:46] Primary net assessed value per capita. [4:49] But the county's primary net assessed value is 4.4 billion across a population of over 502,000 residents. [4:58] This results in a net assessed value per capita of 8,841, which is the fourth lowest in the entire state. [5:11] Looking at actual primary levy dollars generated per person. [5:16] Penal county sits at 288 per resident for fiscal year 2627. [5:23] This is very close to your statewide county average of 277 dollars per person. [5:31] Another key factor in our tax structure is our assessment base. [5:37] 73% of Penal County's tax base is residential or class 3 and 4, [5:44] followed by commercial at 20% and 6% for agriculture. [5:53] Now to put our progress into context, we'll look back at fiscal year 1011, [5:58] where the county had the second highest primary property tax burden [6:02] as a percentage of personal income at 1.14 percent. Today, for fiscal year 2627, that burden [6:12] has significantly dropped to 0.55 percent that moves us to the 6th highest. And since fiscal [6:20] year 11, aggregate income grew by 191 percent, while our primary levy grew by only 41 percent. [6:30] You said the highest, did you mean the lowest? [6:34] Moving us to six highest. [6:36] Oh, six to okay. [6:37] I'm sorry, okay. [6:40] The sixth lowest income per capita. [6:42] Six lowest, I said highest, yes. [6:44] Yeah, I'm just checking. [6:45] I'm like, one of my hearing and read, okay. [6:47] Yes, thank you, Chairman. [6:48] That is correct. [6:49] Moving us to the sixth lowest. [6:51] Thank you. [6:54] To recap, the county has the fourth highest primary property tax rate amongst counties at 3.2607. [7:01] We have the 5th highest combined property tax rate at 3.508 and the county has the 4th lowest primary net assessed value per capita. [7:16] This concludes the presentation in any questions. [7:18] You know, I just comment, I think we're moving in the right direction, that's the goal. [7:23] Keep going. [7:25] One question maybe would be going back to your percentage, 73% residential, 20 commercial and 6% [7:36] Ag. [7:37] So that 20% has moved up considerably, has it not over the last 10 years? [7:42] It has moved up. I can get you specific numbers from maybe like a five-year look back to see what that has actually increased. [7:51] I know that from the prior year I think we were sitting just under that or over that percentage. [7:59] So I can look to see also what has driven that change from the prior year to this year. [8:04] Well, it's going to change, because we have more people moving, so that's a kind of a moving target, [8:09] but the fact that it's growing, is it's going to work? [8:11] Yeah, that's good. [8:12] Any other questions from the board? [8:14] Yeah, first I just want to thank you Chairman for allowing us to happen today and everybody [8:18] on the phone. [8:19] Thank you for all the hard work that everybody puts in. [8:22] I can imagine how much time this takes in all the hours, and we do appreciate you. [8:27] In layman terms, is there an average dollar per year? [8:31] People ask that question when I used to be in the city. [8:33] Is there an average dollars like $100 a year or $200 a year that they'll be seeing savings? [8:40] That's probably a difficult number because I know it's based on income and everything, [8:44] but is there an average dollar approximately or is that tough to answer? [8:48] Is there an average dollar saving savings? [8:52] Savings of what? [8:53] Well, monthly or yearly from what it was last year to this year. [8:59] Because that way, say, well, you lowered it, but I didn't see my value go down, I keep telling [9:03] and your value went up on your property, so your property goes up, [9:07] but they want to, they always ask, what is that number I'm saving? [9:10] And I told them to go most in zero, I mean, it's very close. [9:14] Who are TNTs or just below? [9:16] So, I know it's a difficult one to answer, but when I was in the city, [9:20] they asked that question every time. [9:21] Well, we were low at it seven years and a whole, [9:22] then why did my bill go up? [9:24] Because your value went up, it's so. [9:27] That's a German supervisor, Vitello, do you mind if I try to take a stab at that? [9:32] you. [9:35] Chairman is absolutely correct. We're adopting, and for the record, this is Sanjay Woods [9:41] director of the Office budget and finance. We did adopt the TNT rate, which means that [9:50] as the value of the property went up, that similarly matches to that tax bill. It's very difficult [10:00] to answer that question for every single taxpayer, as most of that is at the aggregate. [10:08] And then additionally to that, you have secondary rates that make up or go down. [10:16] And so when a resident is looking at their tax bill, [10:22] it's quite complex. [10:23] And so, to be able to sit down and look at one specific tax bill in comparison and to answer that question for a taxpayer is much easier than trying to answer that on the aggregate. [10:41] Does that exist? [10:43] So, you're looking at that to all the different taxes. [10:47] I had one constituent contacted me, so you lowered the tax rate, but my tax bill went up [10:50] $13. [10:53] You know, it's like, well, okay, but, you know, what is it? [10:56] Which is absolutely correct because even at singular properties, right? [11:01] So aggregate, at the, you know, aggregate, that we may have all increased, but individually, [11:10] Some properties may have increased higher than the aggregate and some may have decreased depending on that valuation [11:18] But it may also be the fire district went up for the school district went up or something [11:22] We lowered our rates across the county library flood and the primary so absolutely, and that's where that singular property [11:31] With the primary rate the the change in that valuation and then all of the secondary rates to do that comparison [11:40] And for one individual, is much different than comparing the aggregate rates. [11:46] Just telling them we're doing better than everybody else. [11:48] Exactly. [11:49] That's exactly what I told them. [11:51] Thanks. [11:51] Thank you. [11:52] Any other questions from the board? [11:53] I will give it to the supervisor. [11:55] Sir, any good men? [11:56] Miller? [11:56] Do you have any questions? [12:00] Sir, any questions? [12:02] No questions. [12:04] I'm good. [12:06] Good. [12:08] That's good. [12:09] Miller's good. [12:11] All right. [12:12] If there's no more questions, then I'd ask for motion please. [12:18] Mr. Chair, make a motion to approve item 1 as written for the 2026-2027 tax. [12:24] I have a motion as a second. [12:28] Second. Second. [12:29] I have a motion in a second and a second and a second. [12:31] Okay, that's good. We're getting there. [12:34] Okay, this is a roll call vote. [12:36] Supervisor Vitello. [12:39] Supervisor Goodman. [12:42] I. [12:43] Supervisor Miller. [12:46] I. [12:47] Vice Chairman 30. [12:50] I. [12:52] I'm back. [12:54] Vice Chairman. [12:57] What's that you? [13:00] Yeah. [13:01] Yeah. [13:02] I thank you. [13:02] And I hit hang up. [13:04] So I've rejoined the call. [13:06] Yes. [13:06] Okay, supervisor sirty. We were we have a motion in a second on this item and we're doing a roll call vote [13:14] And you're up. Okay, I'm going to be an eye. There we go. [13:20] Chairman McClors. Hi [13:22] Motion passes all right, and with that [13:27] Let's see we are now there's no more business before the board. We're adjourned. Thank you very much everybody. Thank you crew out there [13:35] We're out