2021 Tax Rates Set

By Eugenia Jones

Last week, McCreary County Fiscal Court voted to keep the 2021 McCreary County tax rates for Real Property and Motor/Watercraft the same as last year.  Voting unanimously, the county’s magistrates adopted last year’s rates of 8.80 for Real Property (real estate) and 20.40 for Motor/Water Craft.

Since Fiscal Court does not set tax rates for the special taxing districts in McCreary County, the Court voted, as required by law, to acknowledge the receipt of tax rates set by the special taxing districts.  The special district rates for 2021 are as follows:  Library:  Real 7.1, Personal 8.56 (an increase from last year’s 7.99); Health: 4.0; Soil Conservation District:  1.70, Personal 1.70;  Extension Service:  Real 3.492, Personal 3.5881, and all fire departments (Eagle, North, West, South, and Whitley City) at 10.0 (ten cents per $100.)  All special district taxing rates remain the same as last year except for the Library’s tax rate increase on Personal (Tangible) property.

The Fiscal Court also acknowledged receipt of the McCreary County School Board Tax Rates for 2021.  The Board of Education tax rates are as follows:  Real property-39.0 Personal Property-39.8, Motor Vehicle-46.7, and Utility 3%.  The 2021 Board of Education tax rates remain the same as last year except for the decrease from 39.8 in 2020 to 39.0 for real property in 2021.

Since the 2021 total equalized assessment of $410,847,219 for real estate, farm, and commercial properties is greater than 2020’s total equalized assessment of $398,108,269, all special district taxing rates remaining the same for 2021 should theoretically produce slightly more revenue.   

In 2020, the following amounts were paid to the County and special taxing districts from taxes collected through the Sheriff’s office:

County:  $414, 833.32 plus $884.70 from Fire Acres/ McCreary County School District:  $1,703,837.33/ Library:  $295, 104.99/ Whitley City Fire Department:  $178,928.23/ South Fire Department (Pine Knot):  $174,724.32/ Health Department:  $163,943.77/ Extension Agency:  $143,552.90/ Soil Conservation District:  $61,803.68/ North McCreary Fire Department:  $27,358.27/ Eagle-Sawyer Fire Department:  $25,174.65/ and West McCreary Fire Department:  $17,507. 06.  Taxes paid by the railroad are figured into the North, Whitley City, and South Fire Departments since the railroad runs through those districts.  Totals do not include taxes collected through the County Court Clerk’s Office including delinquent taxes and automobile taxes. 

In other business, Fiscal Court approved the first reading of ordinance 210.4 amending the current occupational tax ordinance 210.3 to cap the total amount of net profit taxes payable @ $50,000. In effect, the amendment limits the amount of net profit tax paid by businesses to $50,000 or less.  Since most other counties also cap their total amount of net profit taxes payable, the amended ordinance should make McCreary County more competitive when recruiting new industry.

Members of Fiscal Court also dealt with routine matters during the September meeting including approving positions within EMT, approving current revolving loan applications, and hearing regular updates from department heads.

The Fiscal Court meets in regular session on the second Thursday of each month at 6:00 at the McCreary County Courthouse.