Johnson County supervisors approve $138.4 million budget

IOWA CITY — The Johnson County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a $138.4 million county budget — nearly 9 percent larger — but sharply scaled back recommended raises for themselves and other county elected officials for fiscal 2023.

The new budget for fiscal year 2023 — which takes effect July 1 and ends June 30, 2023 — includes expenditures for affordable housing, Historic Poor Farm projects and $8.5 million in support for nonprofit partners, agencies and governmental entities.

Expenditures in the fiscal 2022 budget approved last year were $127.2 million. Despite the growth, the county tax rates for homeowners will decline.

The countywide levy rate is set at $6.04 per $1,000 taxable valuation, decreasing 12 cents. The rural levy is $3.69 per $1,000 of taxable property value, decreasing 8 cents.

The countywide levy rate has decreased 69 cents since fiscal 2014, said Dana Aschenbrenner, the county’s finance administrator.

A county resident’s overall tax bill will depend on where they live and what school district they are part of — and also the property’s assessment, which could increase even as the tax rates decline.

Raises for elected officials

The board, in its vote last week, unanimously approved salary increases for elected officials for fiscal 2023.

Board members will receive a 2.25 percent raise, with all other countywide elected officials receiving a 4.42 percent raise.

Salary increases will take effect on July 1:

The county’s compensation board earlier this year recommended 18 percent salary increases — which would have pushed supervisor salaries above six figures.

Linn County supervisors last week approved Linn County’s $154.8 million budget and voted to raise the sheriff’s salary by 7 percent to $176,062 and the rest of the county elected officials salaries by 4.84 percent. The three Linn supervisors each will earn $124,967 in fiscal 2023.

Budget highlights

Aschenbrenner presented highlights of the fiscal 2023 budget earlier this month during a hearing March 15.

Among those highlights are:

The equivalent of 11.68 full-time employees will be added across various departments, including Ambulance, Board of Supervisors, Human Resources, Sheriff’s Office, Finance, Physical Plant, Conservation, as well as Planning, Development and Sustainability.

Aschenbrenner said during the presentation there has been a “steady increase in service calls” for ambulance services. Calls have increased by 5 percent over the last five years. In fiscal 2023, calls are expected to increase by 4.5 percent, Aschenbrenner said.

“With the approval of the board, three staff were added to that department that will provide additional two ambulances available for calls throughout the county,” Aschenbrenner added.

American Rescue Plan funding

Fiscal 2023 also will include projects funded by federal pandemic relief dollars. The budget for the next fiscal year is $6.2 million.

Johnson County is getting $29.3 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds that it will direct to 37 projects, with spending spread through fiscal 2027. A total of $5.6 million was approved for 16 projects in fiscal 2022.

Fiscal 2023 includes funding for 31 projects. Some projects from fiscal 2022 are receiving additional funding, such as the direct assistance program. Supervisors voted earlier that part of the aid will go to low- and moderate-income residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The $1,400 checks will go to qualified applicants selected at random.

Other projects will receive their first batch of funding. The 18 projects receiving first-time funding in fiscal 2023 include:

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