The Butler County commissioners have proposed a budget for 2025 that manages to both keep taxes steady and include a slight increase to expenditures.

The $257 million budget is a 2.25% decrease from this year’s $262 million budget, but general fund expenditures are set to increase 3.56%, from $78.6 million to $81.4 million.

Notable changes include a $600,000 increase in employee health care costs, $500,000 increase in cybersecurity and staffing in the information technology department, and $1.1 million in salary increases. That’s being paid for by an increase in expected real estate tax revenue.

But despite that expected increase, the county’s property tax rate is going to stay the same, at 27.6 mills. Given the economic discomfort many in the region are feeling after years of inflation, the decision is a responsible one.

The work of government costs money, but we rely on our elected officials to be good stewards of the tax revenue they collect from us.

This is at least the fourth consecutive year without an increase in the millage rate, which shows a real commitment to keeping the tax burden low for residents.

Property tax rates and budget allocations might not grab the attention election results do, but they are far more important in the lives of most of us. The commissioner’s decision to continue to hold tax rates where they are shows they understand that.

— JK