Town passes budget with 25-cent cut in property tax rate

Town of Grafton residents will see a 25-cent decrease in the tax rate to support municipal spending next year.

The Town Board on Wednesday, Nov. 11, unanimously approved a 2021 budget of $1.8 million, which requires a $1.48 million tax levy. The approval came after a public hearing on the spending plan.

The tax rate for next year will be $2.16 per $1,000 of assessed property value, a 10.44% decrease from 2020. Property value in the town increased by 11% from last year, which Town Chairman Lester Bartel credited for the decrease in the tax rate.

The overall tax levy will increase by approximately $10,000 for next year.

Assessed property value in the town totals $683.14 million, an increase of about $75.5 million from last year.

Grants and state aid for 2021 are projected at $189,651.

Budget documents discussed during the meeting did not show any major spending changes compared to this year’s budget.