Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
WINONA LAKE - Town clerk treasurer Retha Hicks informed the town council of the proposed 2000 tax rates today.
The proposed rate is the same as the target rate for 1999 - $2.71 per $100 of assessed value. However, estimated rates of $1.37 for the town's General Fund and $1.71 for the Motor Vehicle Highway Fund would require budget cuts.
"With those rates, it would mean $50,000 would need to be cut from the budget," Hicks said. "The budget also doesn't include any grant money for the new fire truck, because we don't have a firm commitment that we'll receive those funds.
"But the truck is in the budget," she added.
The council proposed a 1999 budget with a tax rate of $2.55 per $100 of assessed evaluation, with a maximum levy of $717,272. The actual rate approved by the Indiana Tax Board was $2.49.
Council president Brent Wilcoxson said the council needs to consider these issues when determining the final 2000 budget proposal:
• The grants received for the fire department's new tanker - how much they are and when they'll be received;
• The cash balances that can be used, and if those cash balances should fund budget shortfalls.
Wilcoxson also questioned the efficacy of a proposed $26,000 expansion of the fire station.
"I personally don't see the need for the town to spend $26,000 to expand the station for essentially six to 10 hours per year for training inside," he said.
The department had requested the expansion for additional training, sleeping bay and office space.
His reservations aside, Wilcoxson said the council has done a good job in managing the town's finances and believes a $2.71 tax rate could be accomplished.
"We've accomplished a great deal over the last four years. I think we have gotten a big bang for our buck with the equipment we've purchased and projects we've done," he said. "Assuming we get the grant for the new fire tanker, and given that we have sufficient cash balances, I certainly think our advertised rate last year of $2.71 is doable."
