New Growth Allows Benton County to Propose Lower Tax Levy

FOLEY -- Benton County residents shouldn't see much change in the county portion of their property taxes next year. Commissioners will consider a 2016 budget proposal Tuesday which would decrease the county's levy by one-half-percent.

County Administrator Monty Headley says the tax capacity in the county has gone up by 5% due to increased growth and should bring down the county's tax rate by 3.7%.

Headley says it doesn't mean they will be cutting spending. The proposed budget is a 2.4% increase over 2015 or just over $1,000,000 more than last year.

Headley says commissioners wanted to decrease the levy, setting up the probability that it will have held flat or decreased in six of the past seven years.

When it comes to spending, Headley says the county will target $50,000 to create an economic development organization, nearly $153,000 to expand the eDocs document management system, $10,000 in an employee wellness program and hire two new positions in Human Services.

The county board will consider the budget at their regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday.