Commission: Tax increase needed to keep services level

Property owners can expect up to a 7 percent increase in their Hill County property taxes this year, county officials said Thursday.

A declining taxable value of property within the county and a decrease in nontax revenue necessitated an increase in mill levies, the three-member County Commission said after finalizing the budget for fiscal year 2003-2004.

The total tax increase is 16.4 mills, Commissioner Doug Kaercher said, adding that most of those are from special levies approved by voters.

The hike will particularly affect those whose property's taxable value increased under a new state De...