Legislative cuts require county tax hike, commissioners say

Recent legislative action to reduce some taxes has caused Hill County to raise its property tax rate, county commissioners said today.

The county budget, which commissioners were required to adopt by 1 p.m. today, will include a tax increase of about 6.25 mills. That increase makes up for tax revenue lost when the 2001 Legislature passed a law giving homeowners a 31 percent exemption on the value of their homes, Hill County Commissioner Doug Kaercher said.

The county has to make up for that lost revenue to continue providing services, he added.

"Those services are still mandated to be supplied...