By: City of Alliance
As the City of Alliance entered into its new fiscal year on Oct. 1, we would like to share some valuable information about how property tax revenue funds city services. Property tax funds are one of the main sources of funds for cities, counties and schools. In Alliance, residents pay seven separate taxing entities from property taxes including Alliance Public Schools, Box Butte County, City of Alliance, Western Nebraska Community College, Upper Niobrara Natural Resource District, Educational Service Unit 13 and the Box Butte Ag Society. Each entity sets a budget, reviews the assessed values of property and files a levy (or claim) with the county to receive their portion of paid property taxes. Levy amounts are limited by State statute. As an example, if a levy is set at .32 (per $100 of assessed value) and property is valued at $10,000, the property owner will pay $32 in property tax to benefit that entity.
Included is a table of the mill levies for Alliance, Nebraska by taxing entity. The County Assessor determines property values based on State legislated formulas. As property values increase, the taxing entity receives an increase in revenue if the levy remains unchanged. If a levy remains at .32 and the same property is valued at $12,000 the property owner will now pay $38.40. The total allocation by taxing entity is included in the chart and is based on a property valued at $100,000.
At the City of Alliance, property taxes comprise approximately 16% of the General Fund revenues. The City also receives revenue from sales tax, occupational taxes and enterprise and other fees. The City has reduced its mill levy for the past three years because of property value increases and increases in other revenue sources. Total City mill levy for 2020 is .321477. In 2019 it was .324745 and higher in 2018 at .335341. The City’s revenue from property taxes has remained unchanged during this same period. Increased sales tax collections offset the City’s reliance on property tax with our levy well below the State limit of .45.
The City receives just under $1.7 million in property tax revenue and has a total budget of $53.9 million. The City operates police, fire, EMS, dispatch, animal control, streets, airport, parks, cemetery, community development, golf course, museum, RSVP/Handyman programs, library, water, sewer, streets, landfill, refuse collection, public transit, and the electric department as well as administrative offices. City services and infrastructure are a portion of the many programs your property taxes support.