JAMESTOWN – Stutsman County taxpayers are expected to see a slight reduction in their property taxes for 2024.
Stutsman County’s preliminary 2025 budget calls for revenues of over $33.7 million and expenses of about $32.8 million, a difference of about $900,000.
The Stutsman County Commission unanimously approved the preliminary budget and mill levies on August 7.
The 2024 taxable value is over $149.6 million, an increase of more than $4.7 million over the 2023 taxable value of nearly $144.9 million.
The total mill royalty is expected to be reduced by more than 3 mills, from about 78.9 to 75.8. The value of a mill increases by more than $4,700 from 2024 to 2025. The 2025 value of a mill is $149,612.
The tax impact of the 2025 tax rate on a home valued at $200,000 decreased by $27.72 from the previous year, from $710.01 to $682.29.
These figures come from the preliminary tax levy approved by the Stutsman County Commission on August 7.
On August 6, the county commission unanimously approved a three percent cost-of-living adjustment for its employees.
The raises for employees originally included a 5 percent cost-of-living adjustment and a 2.5 percent incremental increase for most employees. With salaries, federal payroll taxes from the Federal Insurance Contributions Act and pensions, the increase would have been about $575,000 in the preliminary 2025 budget, Shannon Davis, human resources director, said at the time.
With the 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment and the 2.5 percent phase-in increase for most workers, the preliminary budget increase for 2025 would be about $393,000, which includes salaries, the federal payroll tax from the Federal Insurance Contributions Act and pensions, Davis said.
The County Commission also unanimously approved a 1% increase in the Job Incentive Fund amount for 2023, to approximately $449,000.
Mark Klose, chairman of the commission, said the Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corp.’s finances are in good shape. He said he is only looking at the JSDC’s overall revenue source, which is the mill levy.
Jessica Alonge, county auditor and chief operating officer, said the JSDC’s operating funds come from the Job Incentive Fund. She said operating costs are separately identified in the budget.
Stutsman County’s preliminary budget cannot be increased, but can be decreased.
The hearing on the 2025 budget is on October 8th at 6:00 p.m. The final budget must be approved by October 10th.
Masaki Ova joined The Jamestown Sun as a reporter in August 2021. He grew up on a farm near Pingree, ND. He studied communications at the University of Jamestown, ND
