The Jefferson County Conference Board unanimously approved a revised budget for the Assessor’s Office on Wednesday, February 18th, lowering the proposed levy rate from 57.653 cents to 55.436 cents per $1,000 of taxable valuation.
The present members of the board—made up of the three county supervisors, Fairfield Mayor Connie Boyer, Assessor Steve Wemmie, Pekin CSD representative Linda Brock, Lockridge Mayor Susan Hopper, Batavia Mayor Tom Drish, and Fairfield CSD representative Mark Thornton—finalized the decision at its 8:30 a.m. meeting.
The February 18th vote marks a significant shift from the initial January 27th conference board meeting, where the proposal to set the budget at the 57.653-cent rate resulted in a split vote. At that meeting, Supervisor Lee Dimmitt voted against the proposal.
Following that January meeting, Assessor Wemmie indicated he would revisit his budget and explore potential reductions before the final adoption. He was able to shift funding within the budget and adjust spending priorities, reducing the levy to 55.436 cents while leaving less carryover at the end of the fiscal year.
Earlier in the process, Wemmie had proposed an increase from the current 48.525 cents to as high as 57.653 cents. His initial budget proposal requested an increase to 53.218 cents per $1,000 of valuation, which was later revised upward before being ultimately settled at the 55.436-cent rate.
Supervisor Dimmitt, who had previously expressed concerns about the higher rate, said he was pleased with the reduction.
“Any small amount can still make a large difference,” Dimmitt noted, emphasizing the impact even modest levy changes can have on taxpayers.
Wemmie also pointed to long-term cost savings his office has achieved over the past decade. Changes to the county’s attorney package and mapping company have saved the county hundreds of thousands of dollars, he said, noting that “a lot of money was being spent that didn’t need to be prior.”
