Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
BY DAVID SLONE, Times-Union Staff Writer
Out of the thousand of facts in the 1998 Farm Bureau county government statistical report, Kosciusko County Commissioner Avis Gunter points to one particular fact.
Kosciusko County is number one as having the lowest county tax rate in the state.
"Because we're thrifty," Gunter said, "It's the only reason we're able to do that."
Of 92 counties, Kosciusko was 21st in population in the state with 65,294 people.
Gunter said the annual budget is set by the county council. The council is looking out for the budget carefully, she said.
Kosciusko County Council president Brad Tandy also pointed out the county has the lowest tax rate in the state at the special council meeting Saturday on the Economic Development Income Tax. The tax was defeated.
"We are a conservative group," he told the crowd of more than 100 county residents prior to county council's vote.
The effect a low tax rate has on local industries, businesses and residents is very good, Gunter said.
"By not having to pay a lot of property taxes, they're able to stay in the county," she said.
Commissioner Brad Jackson said the reason the county is able to maintain a low tax rate is because of being conservative, staying out of debt and knowing how to pay bills.
Commissioner Eddie Creighton agreed.
"This county is conservative and it always has been. They don't waste taxes," he said.
Another way the county keeps the tax rate low, Creighton said, is by keeping personnel expenses down.
"People are expensive. Not only do we have wages, but we also have fringe benefits," he said.
Creighton said while Kosciusko County has one of the largest road systems to maintain, the number of employees in the highway and street department is below the state average. Low personnel figures are also seen in other departments like the sheriff's department.
However, Creighton said, the county also must offer competitive wages to be able to hire the best employees possible.
"It's probably not just one single thing (that has kept the tax rate low)," he said.
