The Johnson County Board of Supervisors approved the county’s budget for the fiscal 2023 on Thursday, including $32.8 million for public safety and legal services and $22.6 million for capital projects.

The total expenditures from the budget are calculated at $138.4 million, and the fiscal year begins July 1, 2022. 

This compares to the estimated budget of $144 million for the current fiscal year.

Other highlights of the new budget include:

• $18.7 million in physical health and social services
• $8.7 million for county environment and education
• $3.5 million in planned road construction and maintenance
• $3.4 million in government services to residents
• $700,400 in funding for affordable housing

The total estimate for American Rescue Plan Act projects is $6.2 million. 

Highlights include:

• $1 million for Direct Assistance Program
• $637,500 for home repairs and affordable housing programs
• $500,000 in financing programs for minority-owned businesses: 
• $450,000 to improve Historic Poor Farm sewer and stormwater

The board also approved an increase to the recommended or “symbolic” minimum wage in the county from $10.75 per hour to $11.56 per hour.

State law prevents counties from setting a minimum wage higher than the state minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, so the wage is only a recommendation.

The tax rate for urban areas is set at $6.04 per $1,000 in taxable valuation, declining $0.12 cents from last year’s budget. 

The rural levy is $3.69 per $1,000 of taxable property value, a decrease of $0.08 cents, according to the Iowa State Association of Counties. Johnson County is ranked 66th out of 99 counties in regards to its total rural levy rate.