Neligh Expected To Drop Property Taxes For 3rd Straight Year

Taxpayers should expect to receive a decrease in property tax asking from the City of Neligh for the third straight year.

City officials met at a special meeting Thursday to make budget adjustments before setting the levy and official property tax asking for the next budget cycle. The current fiscal year ends Sept. 30, so the 2015-16 budget must be approved next month.

Although no official numbers can been released since adjustments are still being made, it appears the City's property tax asking will drop for the third straight year in what would be a nearly 20 percent decrease since 2012.

The final documents will be published by local media the first week of September and available for public review on the Antelope County News. The City Council will formally approve the 2015-16 budget during its September regular meeting.

The City of Neligh's valuation increased by nearly $10 million from 2014 to 2015, which will lead to a levy decrease, according to budget requests from the various city departments. That means with Neligh's larger tax base, most residents and businesses will pay less in property taxes to the City of Neligh in 2015-16.

Neligh dropped its levy by 5 1/2 cents for 2014-15 and is expected to decrease the levy by double figures for 2015-16. That amount will also be published the first week of September, prior to the City Council meeting.

The City of Neligh is in a similar situation in 2015-16 as it has been in the past several years due to possible grants, which become a shift in money. That means the budget may show an increase in expenditures due to grant money but it will not actually be an increase in city spending. 

The City has applied for a Downtown Revitalization Grant. Because no money can be used without first being budgeted, the 2015-16 budget will include about $400,000 for that project. However, if Neligh does not receive the grant, the money will not be used from the budget.