With the December Truth in Taxation meeting less than a month away, the Faribault County Board of Commissioners held another budget work session on Friday, Nov. 22.

“By the end of the work session, we were confident that the proposed tax levy increase for next year will be less than five percent,” county coordinator Brian Hov said.

Back in September, the County Board approved a proposed tax levy with an increase of 9.238 percent over the previous year’s levy. Once the proposed levy was set, it could not be raised and the board members have spent the last two months looking for ways to lower the proposed levy.

During the five-hour meeting, the board members went through budget items line by line to make sure they had a clear understanding of what could, or could not, be modified in the proposed budget.

“Coming into the work session, I think the commissioners had a pretty good idea of where we might be,” Hov commented. “However, there are still some areas that need clarification.”

One of the unknowns centers around the cost of labor.

“The county is still finalizing their union labor negotiations,” Hov explained. “Until those negotiations have concluded, we will not have an exact number on our labor costs.”

The final budget resolution and tax levy will be set on Dec. 17, when the commissioners hold the county Truth in Taxation meeting at 6 p.m., in the County Board meeting room.