Taxes Slated to Go Up in Sussex

Due to losses in state aid coupled with slow growth, Sussex residents will most likely see their taxes go up next year.

According to the 2012 budget proposal introduced to the Village Board Thursday, the 2012 tax rate will increase to $4.66 per $1,000 of assessed value, which is up from $4.51 this year. Property values are projected to drop about 1.04 percent, meaning a home valued at $289,458, will have a total tax bill of $1,351 next year, which is a $31.48 increase. The total levy is $5.2 million.

However, Sussex also has $279,000 in levy space due to moves made by administrators years ago regarding debt, which allows village to stave off mass cuts, which administrators recommend be used the next two budget cycles.

“Your fellow communities don’t have this,” village Administrator Jeremy Smith said. “Most of your fellow communities are at 0 percent next year and they’re slashing everything because they have no other choice.”

The village will lose $96,000 in state aid in 2012 due to changes in the state’s biennial budget, including a 25 percent loss in transportation aid simply because Sussex is a village and not a city.

“If you had been named City of Sussex you would have lost 10 percent, but because we’re a village we lost 25 percent,” Smith said. “It makes no sense.”

 Building is projected to remain low in 2012 with new construction this year only allowing for $62,168 to be added to the levy this year. Although Sussex’s only saw a 1.21 percent rate in construction this year, it was one of the highest growth rates in Waukesha County.

The village is projecting a utility rate increase of 1 percent next year and recycling aid will be lost and the cash capital fund will not be change.

Expenditures are expected to drop by $15,000 due to changes in employee health insurance plans and a $8,247 drop in employee costs. The village will also see money coming from Time Warner at $140,000, which is up $9,000 this year, due to more residents subscribing to cable.

The village is also expecting to raise water rates between 2 percent and 4 percent next year.

Businesses will also be hit with tax increases under the proposed budget. Smith said a small business will see a $127 increase, a medium sized business will see a $635 increase, a large business will see a $1,270 increase and a very large business like Quad/Graphics will see a $3,175.

The board will review the budget and hold another meeting Sept. 22 to discuss the numbers and address some of the concerns they have. If the board opted to try and have a 0 percent tax increase Sussex will need to cut $122,674 in services.

If they opted to spend the full $279,000 in levy space in 2012, it would mean the average homeowner would see a $103.12 tax increase. Administrators gave trustees a list of possible items to use the money on, such as additional senior programming, pay for non-union staff,

“If we don’t use it, the law could change in the next two years and we could lose it,” village President Greg Goetz said of the levy room.