Dunn County proposed 2027 budget would lower tax rate, reduce service levels

The Dunn County Board of Supervisors is considering a 2027 budget that would reduce a property owner's county tax rate by more than 6 percent.

The County Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed 2027 budget at 7 p.m. Nov. 10 in the County Board Room at the Dunn County Government Center. Following the hearing, supervisors are expected to vote on the spending plan.

The proposed budget calls for a county tax levy of approximately $25.36 million, an increase of less than one percent over the current year. However, continued growth in the county's equalized property value would allow the county tax rate to decrease from $4.30 in 2026 to $4.04 in 2027 per $1,000 of equalized value, a reduction of more than 6.09 percent.

If adopted as proposed, the budget would continue a trend that began in 2020 of continued decreases in the tax rate.  The 2020 tax rate was $7.10 per $1,000 in property value.

"This was a difficult budget process from the beginning," said Dan Dunbar, County Manager. "We had to make difficult decisions to work within state-imposed limits on property tax increases, while still providing essential services."

Dunbar added: “The Board of Supervisors was faced with a difficult challenge.  In order to balance the budget, the level of services needed to be reduced.  These reductions will have an impact on the residents of Dunn County.”

For the owner of a home with an equalized value of $100,000, the county portion of the property tax bill would decrease by about $26 under the proposal if the value of the property didn't change.

General fund spending would decrease from an estimated $31.2 million this year to $28.9 million next year, a reduction of 8 percent. 

Public safety remains the county's largest General Fund expenditure, with a proposed budget of approximately $11.2 million. Funding is also included for county departments and programs that provide services to residents throughout the year.

The county tax rate is only one part of a property owner's total tax bill, which also includes levies from municipalities, school districts, and the Chippewa Valley Technical College.

Residents are encouraged to attend the public hearing or submit feedback via email to publiccomment@co.dunn.wi.us. Meeting details and full budget documents are available at https://dunncountywi.gov/financial-reports.

Media release.