Fiscal Court Hears Additional Tax Rate Proposals

The McCracken County Fiscal Court was presented Monday evening with proposed new tax rates for the upcoming year from several county fire departments, as well as Paducah Junior College, McCracken County Health Department, McCracken County Mental Health, and the rate for McCracken County.

Judge Executive Bob Leeper explained why some of the tangible property rates are higher. Leeper said it is the result of AmerisourceBergen Drug Corporation closing and leaving Paducah. As a result, a significant amount of tangible property is now off the tax roll, which in turn has made the compensating rate formula change, and this has made the rate increase for some tangible property.

The rates proposed at the Monday evening meeting were as follows: Melber-New Hope Fire Department, .043, West McCracken Fire Department, .069, Hendron Fire Department, .0729, Lone Oak Fire Department, .047, Reidland Fire Department, .071, Paducah Junior College, .016, McCracken County Health Department, .024, McCracken County Mental Health, .024, McCracken County, .096 real estate and .132 tangible property.

All tax rates controlled by the Fiscal Court will be voted on at their next meeting which will be held on September 24th.

In other business, the court approved 16 court orders, including the purchase of 40 body cameras for the McCracken County Sheriff's Department, and approving the first reading of Ordinance 2018-06. This is an ordinance adopting and ratifying Ordinance 2011-06, which established the McCracken County Clerk's Office fee-pooling system and amending the same by changing the monthly due date for remitting net fees to the McCracken County Fiscal Court.

The Court approved board appointments for Brent Housman to the Planning Board, Wayne Elliott reappointed to the Planning Board, and Carol Young reappointed to the Planning Board, all for terms expiring in 2022.

They also made cash transfers in order to pay county bills approved in the amount of $218,266.45, and approved the Vouchers Claims Register from August 27, 2018 to September 10, 2018, to show county bills in the amount of $463,025.03.