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County board reviews potential tax increases on the horizon
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Stating the numbers are not in concrete and purely speculative, Houston County Financial Director Casey Bradley reviewed some calculations he worked up on debt service and how it would impact county taxpayers. Bradley was following through on a request made by the county board so they would have a better idea on how two large construction projects, the criminal justice center and the highway department complex, could be funded.
According to Bradley’s figures, a home with a taxable market value of $100,000 would see an increase of $4.07 per $1 million of debt issued, based on a 25-year straight pay back. On a 20-year payback, the tax increase on a $100,000 home would be $4.57 per year.
On agricultural homestead land (after the house, garage and one acre building site have been deducted) the increase in taxes per $100,000 of valuation would be $2.03 per $1 million of debt on a 25-year pay back and $2.28 on a 20-year pay back.
On commercial/industrial property valued at $100,000, the increase would be $6.10 a year per $1 million of debt on a 25-year pay back and $6.85 per $1 million of debt on a 20-year pay back.
“I used a AAA rating for the jail portion of the CJC because that is a state-backed project. For the remainder of that project and the highway complex, I used a AA rating, which is our county rating,” Bradley noted. “The numbers include principle and interest.”
In other board action
Jail meds program reviewed
Barb Pulfrey of Health One Pharmacy of La Crosse made a presentation to the board regarding the prescription meds program at the county jail. She explained that Health One Pharmacy currently serves the Tweeten Nursing Home in Spring Grove and would be able to offer six-day delivery service to the county jail.
She provided some examples of how the meds are packaged and noted her firm would credit the county on all remaining meds if and when an inmate would be getting out of jail before the prescription ran out.
Jail Administrator Mark Schiltz said that would be a huge savings to the county, as some prescriptions run up to $300 per month.
The county took no action on this issue, but will review it in the future when the contract for prescription drugs for inmates is renewed.
The county currently spends between $1,500 and $2,000 per month on meds for inmates. Once a person is incarcerated in the county jail, their medical assistance is terminated, and the county is required to pay for all prescriptions.
Meth house demolition
The county board approved the low bid of $8,852 from Generation X of Rushford to the demolition of a house and garage located at 321 Iowa Ave, Eitzen. The house had been the location of a meth lab, and after having a hazardous materials assessment conducted, it was determined the structure had to be demolished.
The county had received four bids- $24,990 from Comstock, Inc., $24,394 from Bonanza Grain, $9,660 from Zenke, Inc. and the low bid from Generation X.
The bid includes the demolition and removal of the house, garage, foundations and filling in the basement. The awarding of the bid is contingent on Generation X providing proof of liability insurance and identifying what licensed landfill the material will be trucked to.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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