County commissioners are expected this week to endorse a 2007 budget that calls for a slight decrease in the property tax rate.

A final mill levy is expected to be confirmed and the overall county budget voted on during Wednesday night’s commission meeting. Still to be decided is a cost of living increase for county employees.

An estimate shared with commissioners at Monday’s meeting showed a levy of 30.084 mills could finance the 2007 budget. That would be 0.015 less than needed for the county’s 2006 budget. Expenditures for 2007 were estimated at about $54 million.

A mill is $1 for every $1,000 of assessed valuation.

The amount of taxes paid in total still will go up because there was a 5.47 percent increase in assessed valuation this year ($1.094 million). Because of the valuation increase and no calls for large spending increases from departments and agencies funded by the county, the mill levy can remain stable, Commission Chairman Bob Johnson said.

“I think what the Commission is doing is being very, very responsible in saying to the taxpayer we aren’t going to increase your taxes, but we’re going to set aside the money we need to study the issues and reserves for the issues we know are coming,” Johnson said.

Commissioners also emphasized road and bridge maintenance, building maintenance and public safety.

Commissioners are funding $700,000 for sealing 47 miles of roads. They also want a strategic plan prepared next year so future road spending can be targeted.

Johnson and McElhaney said they did not want to grant $50,000 requested by Visiting Nurses Assn. for purchasing telemonitoring machines to be used for indigent patients.

Some additions are in the proposed budget:

¢ Nearly $64,000 in the sheriff’s budget for a legal advisor.

Commissioners, however, said they expect more money will be needed to fund that position, and money can be taken from the county’s legal fund.

¢ $39,000 to hire a new officer for the county jail.

¢ $25,000 to begin a feasibility study for coming up with a program for assisting prisoners leaving the jail to re-enter society.

¢ $195,000 for the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce. That’s $75,534 more for economic development than in 2006.

¢ $135,000 for the financially troubled Watkins Community Museum of History, an increase of $14,500. Another $2,500 was set aside for a retreat for Watkins and the Douglas County Historical Society.

Among other budget items, commissioners:

¢ Allowed $350,000 for special building maintenance.

¢ Raised the legal fee for attorneys handling misdemeanor case for the indigent from $50 to $80.

¢ Agreed to provide $225,000 to the Working to Recognize Alternative Possibilities (WRAP) program under Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center.

¢ Set aside $250,000 to start the Project 25 radio fund to meet changes federally mandated for emergency service radio systems.