Brown County Commissioners ratified the county budget and set tax rates for fiscal year 2010-2011 which were adopted on October 1st.

“Those taxpayers who have not been reappraised will see a decrease in taxes,” stated County Judge Ray West.  “I want to remind the public that we have adopted a somewhat smaller budget than the previous four fiscal years.”

The approved county tax rate for 2010 is 0.4394 per $100 valuation and 0.0775 for road and flood which are slight decreases over last year.   The county is expected to raise $160,000 more tax revenue than last year from new property that was added to the tax roll since last year’s budget was adopted.

In other county business:

*Commissioners unanimously approved a request presented by Tony Aaron of the Brown County Sheriff’s Office for the purchase of a new scanner that is compatible with the NetData system that will replace the current scanner in the BCSO which is no longer working.  The cost of the new scanner is $1600 and which will be taken out of the county’s technology fund.  Currently there is $15,000 for the year budgeted and the fund is for county-wide usage, wherever needed, not department specific.

*Unanimous approval was granted to Suzy Young, Brown County Elections Administrator, for purchase of two new desks according to a bid from Office Supply Specialists (a local company) for $3195.50.

Purchase of 5 Laptops (poll books) which contain label printers and Driver’s License scanners for voting poll use were also approved unanimously and will be funded out of the HAVA fund (a $39,000 fund for general compliance that are provided to the county this year).

“With early voting numbers increasing (40% of all voters) it would make it much easier and help with long lines,” stated Young.

*Jail Report was given by Tony Aaron:  172 as of Tuesday morning with 41 being females (7 from capacity for females).