Property taxpayers in Winona County are better off since 2009 thanks to the Winona County Board's efforts to hold down property tax levies and turn around a trend of property tax levy increases since 2000.

Winona County Administrator Duane Hebert said since 2009 the county's property tax levy has gone down a total of 10.5%, saving county taxpayers over $17,000,000.

Hebert said a comparison has determined that Winona County ranks highest among all of Minnesota's 87 counties when it comes to property tax reductions between 2009 and 2013.