The Stearns County Board of Commissioners approved the final budget and levy for 2015.

The commissioners approved a budget of about $131 million including a 1.61% reduction in spending. County Auditor-Treasurer Randy Schreifels says the budget sees a levy increase of 1.6% amounting to $69.5 million because of increased caseloads in Human Services and a reduction in federal and state aid. The budget also asks for an additional spending of $1.8 million on roads which comes from the recently enacted wheelage tax.

The board of commissioners voted to make cuts to the Sentence to Service program. STS is a program that gives alternatives to jail or fines through community service work at non-profits or government agencies. The commissioners eliminated one of the two STS crews and cancelled the lease on the STS building. The county says the reduction in STS saves them about $100,000.

Although the new budget includes an increase in the levy, most property taxpayers in Stearns County will experience a reduction in their county property tax. This reduction is due to a 2.6 % spike in tax capacity generated from new utilities which are the new power lines running through the county.