Running mate David Pepper: county property tax rate
What they say
The campaign says Pepper held the line on property taxes as a county commissioner and cut the county's rate outright in his final year.
“held the line on property taxes, reducing the county’s rate outright in his final year”
What the record shows
The county auditor lists the county's property tax rate at 20.18 mills for tax year 2006. In his years on the board, 2007 to 2010, it was 20.56, 20.63, 20.48 and 20.48. The rises came with levy increases voters approved: mental health and senior services in 2007, the zoo in 2008. The 2009 fall came when a smaller levy replaced the expiring Drake levy.
Why there is no assessment here
By tax year, the rate rose in his first two years, fell in his third and was flat in his last. Taxes are paid a year later, so the fall reached bills in 2010, his last year. "Held the line" depends on which years you count.
Limit: These are full voted rates. Voters approved each levy change; we did not check who put each levy on the ballot.