County approves third housing tax abatement

Commissioners approved a third property tax abatement request under the county’s new home initiative program at their first 2020 meeting on Jan. 7.
Jason and Sheila Steinhoff are building a new home at 942 21st St. in Clinton Township near Steen. The new estimated market value with the improvements is $229,300.
The abated taxes are on the improved property value of $164,800, and only the county’s portion of the property taxes will be abated.
The Steinhoffs will receive a county property tax abatement of $141.89 for the next five years.
The amount was approved during the public hearing for the proposed abatement. No one from the public attended the hearing.
The Rock County Home Initiative began Sept. 1, 2019, to encourage the replacement of dilapidated housing structures in Rock County.
 
In other business, the commissioners also:
•elected vice chairman Gary Overgaard to serve as chairman for 2020. Stan Williamson is the new vice chair.
•adopted an annual housekeeping resolution with the one change of a half-cent increase in the mileage reimbursement to 57.5 cents per mile.
•were informed that the legal age to purchase tobacco products in Rock County was increased from 18 to 21 years of age. The new age will be used by Southwest Health and Human Services, which conducts retail compliance checks for permitted businesses selling tobacco in the county.