Taxes to go up in county

Custer County residents will see a slight increase in their taxes in 2013, after the Custer County Commission approves its second and final reading of next year’s budget at the commission’s Sept. 26 meeting.

At its Sept. 4 meeting, the commission approved the first reading of the budget, which will be $7,534,744. That is actually down from last year’s budget, which was $8,423,807. However, that budget had over $1 million in loans for the courthouse renovation project.

The 2013 general fund will be up from 2012, with $4,042,932 in the general fund, compared to $3,773,050 a year ago. Among the items in the general fund that will see the largest budget increase are the auditor budget, up $17,000; the Department of Equalization, up $36,000; the sheriff’s department, up $166,000 and prisoner care, up $64,000.

The total mil levy in the county will increase 36 cents per $1,000 of valuation for a property owner. For instance, if a person owned a home worth $200,000, they can expect their tax bill to increase $72. The commission may still change the budget before it is officially adopted at the Sept. 26 meeting.