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Wood County Commission raises county levy rate

PARKERSBURG — The Wood County Commission Tuesday approved an increase in the county’s levy rate on property valuation for the 2017-18 fiscal year.

The rate on Class 1 property went from 13.14 to 13.49; Class 2 property went from 26.28 to 26.98; and Class 3 property went from 52.56 to 53.96.

That’s the maximum amount allowed without a public hearing, officials said.

A county resident with a house valued at $100,000 would see a property tax increase of $34 a year with the levy rate increase, Commission President Blair Couch said.

Couch said the new rate will generate around $350,000 of additional revenue for the county to help the county have a balanced budget for the next fiscal year.

During the recent budgeting process, the county had to make cuts to be able to pay for the county’s growing regional jail bill, which is conservatively projected at $2.7 million for 2017-18.

”This was not an easy decision,” Couch said. ”We had no choice. The commission did not do this lightly. We had long discussions. We made cuts across the board.”

The commission made cuts to outside agencies and basically gave each department the same amount they had last year to operate for the coming fiscal year.

Couch went to Charleston a few times to talk with state lawmakers to see about getting some relief for the jail bill, but with little to no success as the state was also facing tight budget prospects.

”We were trying to do everything we could so we would not have to take it off of the property owners,” he said.

Couch said the commissioners have changed purchasing practices with more oversight from them to better control expenses.

”There will be no frivolous expenses,” Couch said.

The new measures include approval needed by multiple officials for purchases. As the commission meets twice each week, Couch did not think it would be a problem with getting officials to approval every purchasing request.

The ultimate goal is to be able to lower the levy rate back next year, Couch said.

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