LENRD approves a lower tax levy for fiscal year 2019

The 2019 fiscal year budget for the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) once again calls for a lower tax levy.

The operating budget was approved by the board of directors at their August 23rd meeting with a tax request of $4,272,728.  The budget of all expenditures shows a 6.39% decrease of $451,300 from last year.

The estimated levy, based on the property tax request, is 2.314 cents per $100 of valuation, which is a slight decrease from the fiscal year 2018 levy of 2.327 cents per $100 of valuation.  For example, if a person owns a $100,000 house, the taxes owed to the LENRD would have been $23.27 in 2018, and will be approximately $23.14 in 2019.

LENRD General Manager, Mike Sousek, said, “It’s becoming more difficult to continue decreasing the tax levy year after year.  This is the 7th year in a row for a decrease in property tax asking.  Last year, we reached a historic low with the lowest tax levy in 45 years.  Even with the 0% increase this year, we are expanding our public awareness of our 12 responsibilities and have more projects and programs on the table to meet the challenges of natural resources management head on.”

The funds received by the LENRD are returned to the citizens of the district, through projects, programs, and studies across all or parts of 15-counties in northeast Nebraska.  Some of these conservation benefits include:  water quality and quantity programs such as groundwater management, flood control, and nitrate management; as well as erosion control, cost-share to landowners who apply for conservation practices, recreation areas and trails, urban recreation and community forestry programs, and many other benefits that protect our natural resources.  A copy of the budget documents can be found at: