A homesteaded $22,600 market-value home located in New Ulm will have lower 1974 property taxes than similar houses in other Brown County towns.

Figures released by County Auditor Otis Loose Monday show the total 1974 property tax bill on such a home to be $377, almost 13 per cent less than in 1973 in New Ulm.

Loose figured property taxes on a home of this market value in New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, Springfield and Comfrey to show the effect of the 1973 state property tax bill with its provisions for Increased homestead credits.

The highest total on such a home — $451 — is in Comfrey. That figure is down 9.65 per cent from the 1973 total on such a home in Comfrey.

The biggest per cent reduction on such a home is in Sleepy Eye, whee the total 1974 property tax bill of $429 would be a decrease of 18.7 per cent over the 1973 tax bill.

Such a home in Springfield would generate total 1974 taxes slightly below the Sleepy Eye figure.

Loose noted that taxes on homesteaded property in New Ulm will be down, generally, in 1974 due to three factors:

+The city levied $29,287 less in 1974 than in 1973 and the levy was spread over an increased tax base (assessed valuation was up $686,000).

+The amount of homestead credit increased due to various changes.

+ The state sales tax refunds to the city, county and school district will increase in 1974 by a total of $95,000.

Loose noted that the 1974 property taxes in Sleepy Eye for most homesteaded property will be down due to the increased homestead credit, plus a decrease in the city levy for 1974 (down $37,650) and an increase in the tax base (assessed valuation up $127,000).

In Springfield increased homestead credit plus a decreased school levy for 1974 down $24,000 and an increased tax base of School District 85-up $99,000 in assessed value-resulted in a reduced tax bill for the sample home.

The decrease in 1974 property taxes on the sample home in Comfrey was entirely due to the increased homestead credit, Loose said.

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LOOSE also prepared figures on 1974 taxes on a 160-acre farm in the four Brown County school districts. (The market value on such a farm rose from $61,854 in 1973 to $62,682 in 1974.)

The figures show the Springfield School District farm enjoying the lowest 1974 tax total and also leading the other districts in per cent reduction over 1973 taxes on such a farm property.

Total property taxes due in 1974 on such a property in Springfield School District, Burnstown Township would be $680, down 12.4 per cent from the 1973 total.

The highest 1974 tax total on such a farm of the four locations sampled would be in New Ulm School District (88), Milford Township, where the total would be $928, up two percent over the 1973 total.

The increased homestead provisions passed by the 1973 legislature would keep the tax increases from being as large as Eye, however, even providing a decrease in the Sleepy Eye district. Without these changes taxes would have increased due to increased levies by the two school districts and the county, and a five per cent increase in the market value of A, B and C farm land.

The Springfield and Comfrey area sample farms are affected favorably by the increased homestead credit. Also, the Burnstown Township levy is down about $1,000 while its assessed value increased about $72,000 in 1974. Bashaw Township kept its levy the same in 1974 as in 1973 and enjoyed a tax base increase of $86,000 in assessed value.

Loose noted that all these factors contributed to lower 1974 taxes on the sample farms in these two districts.