At its September 8th Board of Directors meeting the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District Board of Directors held a public hearing on its FY 2017 General Operating Budget and then voted to approve a budget that will require no increase in the NRD property tax levy.
The proposed budget calls for a Fiscal Year 2017 property tax levy of .038034, the same as in FY 2016. The levy would mean that the owner of property valued at $100,000 would pay a total of $38.03 in property taxes next year to support NRD projects.
“With our property taxpayers in mind, we continue to hold the line on tax levy increases. This is the 11th year out of the past twelve that the NRD has decreased or held steady its tax levy,” said NRD General Manager, John Winkler.
The levy is based on an estimated 3.88 percent increase in valuations across the district. The Papio-Missouri River NRD area includes all of Sarpy, Douglas, Washington and Dakota Counties plus the eastern 60% of Burt and Thurston Counties.
The NRD’s property tax levy amounts to less than two percent of the total property tax bill for residents living within the District’s six-county area. “This NRD serves more residents than any other government body, with the only exception being the State of Nebraska,” said Winkler.
The budget calls for an estimated $22.8 million in revenue from the NRD’s property tax levy. Total spending is estimated at $70.5 million. “One of the NRD’s strengths is our ability to leverage federal and state cost sharing on projects such as improvements to Missouri River levees south of Bellevue,” said Winkler. “These federal and state cost sharing efforts save local taxpayers millions of dollars,” he said