Fiscal Court Okays New Tax Rates
Robert Moore
Herald Staff
rmoore@harrodsburgherald.com
The Mercer County Fiscal Court approved new real estate and property tax rates for the year.
The Mercer County Public Library continued their trend over the past several years, lowering their rate from 7.6 per $100 in assessed value to 7.2 for both real estate and property tax.
The Mercer County Health Department, who are currently in the middle of an extensive rehabilitation for their offices on College Street, lowered their rate from 5.0 per $100 in assessed value to 4.73 cents for both real estate and property tax.
The Mercer County School District’s rate for real estate is 70.2 per $100 in assessed value in 2022, versus 70.1 cents last year, while the rate on personal property is 70.6 per $100 in assessed value this year versus 72.0 last year.
Other districts modestly increased their rates. The Mercer County Cooperative Extension Office’s rate for real estate went to 4.20 per $100 in assessed value this year from 4.10 last year. The rate for personal property went to 7.77 per $100 in assessed value this year from 7.70 last year.
The Mercer County Fire Protection District rate for real estate and personal property went from 6.5 per $100 in assessed value last year to 7.0 this year.
The millage tax rate for the Mercer County Conservation District remains unchanged at .007 per $100 in assessed value.
In July, the fiscal court voted to take the compensating rate, which is calculated by the state, on real estate at 12.60 per $100 in assessed value for 2022. It was 13.0 in 2021. They also chose 18.31 per $100 in assessed value for personal property. It was 19.17 in 2021.
The other rates are determined by the special taxing districts in Mercer County. Most local taxing districts lowered their rates over the past year, although with rising property valuations, some property owners may see a higher bill. For instance, even though the new county rate is down from last year, the owner of a $150,000 home would see a $189 increase under the compensating rate approved by the fiscal court.
At their Tuesday, Sept. 13, meeting, the fiscal court also received a $181 check from Mercer County Clerk Chris Horn. Saying the 2021 audit was completed, Horn presented the court with excess fees of $181.
It wasn’t a lot, but Magistrate Ronnie Sims was thankful.
“Every little bit helps,” Sims said.
