Clay County’s general property tax levy is set to decrease following disagreement over the financial impact of a lower rate.

Commissioners recently set the 2026 general levy at 0.0150 per $100 of assessed valuation, down from 0.0179 in 2025, after a 4-2 vote.

Auditor Victor Hurlbert told commissioners they had three options for the general levy: maintain the 0.0179 rate, set a revenue-neutral rate of 0.0174 or reduce the rate to 0.0150.

Because 2026 is not a reassessment year, Holbert explained levy rates were essentially unchanged from the previous year within what is allowable by law. New construction and personal property were expected to generate about a 3% increase in revenue, with the general levy treated separately because commissioners were considering a reduction.

After previously supporting the revenue-neutral rate of 0.0174, Commissioner Jason Withington noted he supported reducing the rate to 0.0150 after reviewing what the county had done in recent years. Commissioner Jay John…