Property taxes would climb slightly under a preliminary budget adopted by the Grand Forks County Commission this week. The entire county spending plan comes in at just under $51.6 million dollars – and includes a levy bump around 3.7 mills.
The budget includes a 5% cost of living increase for employees…steps on seniority dates…and a $1 dollar increase per month in longevity pay.
The commission has been wrestling with whether to eliminate funding for base retention efforts at a savings of $121,000 dollars.
Commission Chair Tom Falck says he has great respect for the consultants. “I am a budget person and I have problems with our budget…concerned about it. I think we are at a point where the base is stable with a new mission. If there was a time we could do without consultants this might be it.”
Commissioner Cynthia Pic offered a motion to keep the consultants on board for six months at half the cost. “I see wonderful things happening at the base….I don’t know if we didn’t have these consultants available since 2014 if we would be where we are today.”
That motion was rejected on a 3-to 2 vote. The money is currently in the budget. No motion was made to remove it.
The preliminary budget would increase taxes by $32-$33 dollars on the county portion of the bill for the owner of a $200,000 dollar home in Grand Forks next year.
A budget hearing is set for September 20th.
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