Scott County Fiscal Court lowers property tax rate again, approves motor vehicle rate
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Summary
The fiscal court approved a reduction in the real‑estate property tax rate to 0.0528 and a personal property rate of 0.0511 and set the motor vehicle tax at $16.60 per $100 assessed value. Officials said property taxes account for roughly 6% of the county budget and reductions aim to stay below a 4% revenue growth recall threshold.
GEORGETOWN, Ky. — Scott County Fiscal Court approved on Aug. 28 proposed county tax rates that reduce the real‑estate rate and maintain a lower overall burden compared with neighboring counties.
The court voted to set the real‑estate property tax rate at 0.0528 and the personal property tax rate at 0.0511; the motor‑vehicle tax rate was set at $16.60 per $100 of assessed value. The court approved those rates by voice vote after staff presentation and a short discussion.
County staff presented a multi‑year comparison showing the real‑estate rate declining from 0.062 in 2020 to 0.0552 last year and to the newly adopted 0.0528 for 2025. The county’s treasurer, Michelle Ray, reported that property tax revenue comprises roughly 6% of the county general fund while other revenue sources such as OLT (online travel?) and net profits provide the majority of the budget. The judge said the reductions are intended to keep the county’s annual revenue growth below a 4% threshold that, if exceeded, could trigger recall procedures.
Magistrates and other speakers briefly discussed broader tax‑policy trends and concerns about homeowners on fixed incomes facing rising assessments. One magistrate noted discussions with a state senator about ways to protect fixed‑income residents from assessment increases.
The motor‑vehicle rate was approved separately; a magistrate motioned and the court approved it by voice vote. No roll‑call vote was recorded for the tax rates in the transcript.
Why this matters: The rate reductions modestly lower county property tax bills and were presented as the product of multi‑year adjustments and higher non‑property revenue, while staff emphasized how county funds are distributed — about 70% of the total tax bill on a $100,000 home goes to schools, with county government receiving about $55 of that total in 2024 figures presented by the PVA.
What’s next: County staff will publish the rates and collect levies under the adopted schedule; officials flagged continuing legislative conversation about statewide property‑tax policy that could affect future county budgets.