The Wells County Council will not be making changes to the county’s surtax and wheel tax this year.
Auditor Beth Davis said Wednesday the council needed to certify the tax rates and specify if there will be changes or not.
President Todd Mahnensmith said the state has a 10-cent gas tax coming on and the county is in the middle of the range on the wheel tax, so he’d rather not hit the taxpayers with another increase.
He said he would like to see how the gas tax distribution from the state will take shape, recommending the council keep the rates the same.
It was unanimously approved, 5-0 — also present were Chuck King, Steve Huggins, Vicki Andrews, and Mike Mossburg; Seth Whicker and Jim Oswalt were absent.
At the council’s June 6 meeting, Commissioner President Blake Gerber urged the council to “seriously consider” increasing the wheel tax for local projects.
At that time, he said the move would show the county is trying to get projects done. There are areas that need improved, he said. King had asked if the council could get potential figures on where the county is with the wheel tax and what the cap is, and Gerber said he would get and distribute that information so they can all make educated decisions.