Commission keeps property tax rates for Pettis County at 2009 level

The Pettis County Commission on Thursday voted unanimously to leave property tax rates at 2009 levels.

The county is only one of about two dozen taxing districts that are funded through taxes levied against real property in the county. The general revenue rate will remain .0257 cents and the Pettis County Road and Bridge rate will remain at .2787 cents, with all rates assessed per $100 valuation.

Pettis County Commissioner Rusty Kahrs said the decision to leave the rate at 2009 levels would help to ensure that a modest recovery in sales tax and business expansion is able to continue.

Kahrs said sales tax revenues are up between 7 and 8 percent from last years numbers, but cautioned that the economy is still unstable and there is no guarantee the increase will continue.

“If we stay up 8 percent through the end of the year we will be on solid footing for a full recovery and the county should be in a good position to move forward,” Kahrs said.

According to Missouri Department of Revenue records, Pettis County saw sales tax revenue drop from $1,873,088 in 2008 to $1,664,974 in 2009. Records indicate that as of August, revenues for 2010 stand at $1,885,459.

Kahrs cautioned against using the higher revenues to restore deep budget cuts made last year as the county tried to make up some $200,000 in lost sales tax revenue.

“The trick is making sure we don’t go out and spend that 8 percent. We need to use that revenue to replenish our reserves because we burned through most of that trying to deal with the down economy,” Kahrs said.

Pettis County Clerk Pam Doane said most taxing districts in Pettis County also kept their rates the same, though some local school districts had requested small increases.

Doane said those numbers should be certified in the next couple weeks. The rates will be used in assessing property tax bills due at the end of the year.