A proposed 2013 Buffalo County budget would raise property taxes less than one percent and balance spending by using fund reserves.
    
A public hearing on the county's 2013 budget is scheduled on Nov. 13th before the county board takes action on a proposed $5.9 million dollar levy.
    
A just under one percent property tax increase amounts to an increase of $54,667.  Taxes have gone up by $500,000 since 2007, but not enough to cover increased labor and operational expenses.
    
Faced with a revenue shortage to cover 2013 costs, the county board directed its finance committee to cut expenses by at least $400,000 nd take more than one million dollars from general funds to balance spending.

Spending projects included $150,000 for a communication radio tower and $50,000 for a radio signal repeater as well as $112,000 for new and upgraded sheriff's dispatch system and $50,000 for improved computerized mapping.
    
Other capital projects reviewed by the county's finance committee included $130,000 for replacement of a courthouse boiler unit and $100,000 for building windows.