Judge-Executive talks tax rates, road projects and state funding

As Christian Fiscal Court considers their local tax rates and funding from the state, Christian County Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam says they have a lot to consider heading into the fiscal year. 

At this week’s Fiscal Court meeting, magistrates approved leaving the real estate property tax rate at 16.7 cents per $100 of assessed value, which is what the rate was last year. They also left the tax rate on motor vehicles and watercraft at 11.6 cents, unchanged from the prior year. The tangible property rate was lowered however, from 18.7 cents down to 18.1 cents per $100 of assessed value. 

Speaking with WHOP Wednesday, Judge Gilliam says they could have taken an increase of four percent but chose instead to take only a one percent increase in revenue.

He’s hopeful they’ll see better growth in the coming fiscal year, and they’ll be able to lower the rate again in the future. 

Road work is underway at the intersection of Lover’s Lane and Lafayette Road, and Gilliam expressed some frustration with the Transportation Cabinet, saying he’s been pushing for that project to not take place during the start of the school year or harvest season. He says they’re still in discussions about how traffic will be impacted during the second phase of the project.

Gilliam says it’s been difficult to get information from the cabinet recently, though he concedes there have been several changes in management lately, but it’s been particularly concerning where it comes to funding.  

He says the Fiscal Court is held to certain spending guidelines by the state, and when departments fail to adequately communicate funding numbers in a timely manner, it can put them in a sticky situation.

He says several local agencies, such as the Christian County Sheriff’s Department, Emergency Management and road departments have been in communication about what would be the best practices regarding road work on I-24. Right now, the road goes between two lanes and one lane several times, and Gilliam says they’re requesting that the road department just leave it one lane, to cut down on confusion and speed.