Mill rate down, tax levy up

The Portage County County Board approved its 2025 budget following a public hearing on Nov. 4.

The total $140.66 million budget for 2025 includes a $131.6 million operating budget and a $3.9 million capital budget.

The total Portage County tax levy for 2025 is just over $35.69 million.

The tax rate for 2025 will be $4.12, which is down from $4.30 last year, per $1,000 of equalized value.

The median home value in Portage County is $214,700. The resulting tax on a median home is approximately $884.56.

Due to the increase in property values, taxes will increase by approximately $90 on a median home.

Just under half of the operating budget is dedicated to the areas of public works and health and human services, while 15% of the operating budget is dedicated to public safety.

The capital budget will pay for equipment, roads and facility improvements as well as maintenance of existing assets and infrastructure. The budget also includes funding to maintain County services such as highways, law enforcement, jail, child protective services, and courts.

The 2025 budget, including operating and capital, represents a 13.5% decrease over the 2024 budget.

With a higher cost of health care claims there was a 20% increase in health care premiums for 2025. To lessen the impact, the county used $250,000 of fund balance to ease the burden on department budgets. The county’s 2025 debt service expenses are budgeted at $5.9 million, which is within the county’s ratio of debt service funds to the total governmental operating funds of less than 10%.

Maintaining debt service allows the county to maintain its infrastructure without diminishing funding needed for direct services for future generations.

The next county board meeting will be held on Nov. 12.