The Linn County Budget Committee on Thursday, April 22, approved a 2021-22 FY budget of $203,198,263.
Meetings began Monday and were held at the Linn County Fair & Expo Center.
The budget will now go before Linn County Commissioners Roger Nyquist, Sherrie Sprenger and Will Tucker, for adoption by June 30.
The Budget Committee chaired by Jennifer Stanaway includes vice-chair Kerry Johnson and Mellissa Barnard, plus the three commissioners.
The current 2020-21 adopted budget is $183,868,513.
The FY 2021-22 budget includes:
General Fund, $46,511,778;
Road Fund, $40,429,204;
Fair Fund, $402,800;
Law Library, $252,095;
General Grants Fund, $38,871,526;
Corner Preservation Fund, $565,276;
Law Enforcement Levy, $35,878,929;
Historical Fund: $237,500;
County Forest Park Fund, $1,064,000;
Health Fund, $40,037,982;
County School Fund, $1,966,100;
Federal Forests Title 3/Restricted Fund, $340,000;
Unemployment Insurance Fund, $726,705;
Total: $203,198,263.
A permanent tax rate of $1.2736 per $1,000 of property value was approved as was the Law Enforcement Levy of $2.83 per $1,000 of property value.
A motion to provide elected officials with the same Cost of Living Adjustments provided union members was approved as was a motion to adjust the salary of the County Assessor by 5%.
The new budget includes funding for 676 total employees, up about 15 from the current level and spread across multiple departments. Also reflected in the proposed budget are an 8% increase in health insurance costs, a 3.5% PERS increase and Cost of Living Adjustments based on various collective bargaining agreements.
As chair of the Board of Commissioners, Nyquist presented the annual budget message on Monday, in which he noted the proposed total budget is $203,200,000 compared to the current adopted budget of $183,900,000.
The proposed budget includes an anticipated $25 million federal stimulus grant. The proposal also reflects the increase in local property values and the increased taxes that result from a 3.25% increase allowed under state regulations, plus increased property values.
The General Fund contingency is booked at $653,334, up from the current $195,941.
– Alex Paul, Linn County Communications Officer