Latah County 2016 budget includes pay raises, property tax hike

MOSCOW - The Latah County Commission unanimously approved a $17.1 million 2016 budget Wednesday that includes employee raises and a bump in the property tax levy.

The commissioners voted to adopt the budget following a public hearing in the Latah County Courthouse that garnered only a couple of comments. The budget, which is about $900,000 higher than the $16.1 million 2015 budget, will go into effect Oct. 1.

"This is a good budget, and I'm very happy with it," Commissioner Dave McGraw said.

Latah County Clerk-Auditor Henrianne Westberg said the commissioners prioritized three goals during the budget-setting process that included employee salary increases and avoiding a full 3 percent hike in the property tax levy. The adopted budget includes a 2 percent property tax hike.

Latah County has historically needed to increase the property tax levy by the maximum amount allowed by the state. Idaho Code stipulates that municipalities can increase the levy rate by 3 percent each year. Last year - when commissioners approved a 1 percent increase - was the first time in about two decades the full amount wasn't levied.

McGraw said the desire of his fellow commissioner, Richard Walser, to avoid a full 3 percent bump in the levy is one residents can appreciate. The 2 percent increase amounts to $7.87 for $100,000 of net taxable value - bringing the county's portion of a resident's property tax bill up to $434.76 from $426.89 this year.

The property tax portion of the county's overall 2016 budget will total about $8.9 million, which is approximately $267,000 more than this year.

Employee salary increases, specifically for detention and dispatch deputies in the sheriff's office, was also a primary concern for the commissioners, Westberg said. All of the commissioners emphasized the importance of salary increases during budget workshops held throughout the summer.

The adopted budget includes a 4 percent salary increase for employees countywide, including elected officials, and a 9 percent increase for detention and dispatch employees. Walser previously said the sheriff's office has struggled to attract and retain officers in those two arenas, causing the office to be understaffed.

Commissioner Tom Lamar said he thinks the salary increases for detention and dispatch deputies can help with that issue and raises in general will help ensure Latah County remains a competitive employer. He said the commission has had a lot of opportunities to ask questions and work through different ideas to find a solution.

"We want to make sure that we are able to retain and hire the best quality candidates," he said.

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Rudd may be contacted at erudd@lmtribune.com or (208) 791-8465. Follow her on Twitter @elizabeth_rudd.