The Cole County Commission is scheduled to vote next week on setting the tax levy for 2017.
The commission sets two tax levy rates each year - general revenue and public works. Both are due Sept. 1.
Since 2009, commissioners have been reducing the general fund rate with a 60 percent rollback in tax collection because of the 2008 sales tax approved by voters to pay for ambulance and service operations.
The general fund levy was 33 cents in 2008.
Last year, the rolled-back general revenue levy was unanimously approved at 7.6 cents per $100 assessed valuation, only slightly higher than the previous 7.5-cent rate. The public works/road and bridge levy was set at 27.1 cents per $100 assessed valuation.
Last year, the county saw a 2.5 percent increase in assessed valuation, which was the main reason for the marginal increase in the levies, Finance Director Debbie Malzner said.
Malzner said Tuesday after the Board of Equalization hearings were completed at the end of last month, county staff started looking at the assessed values for the year. Those values then are entered into the Missouri state auditor's tax rate calculation to figure the ceiling rate for the county.
Based on those calculations, Malzner suggested setting the general revenue levy at 8.2 cents per $100 assessed valuation and keeping the public works levy at 27.1 cents per $100 assessed valuation.
Malzner said the recommended increase in the general revenue levy was due to re-assessment and new construction in the county.