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For Immediate Release
Joe Moss
Board Chairperson, District 5
Ottawa County 2023 Audit and Strong Financial Position
This week the Board of Commissioners reviewed the 2023 annual audit and related reports. The county is in an excellent financial position. Ottawa County received a clean, unqualified opinion from the 2023 audit. This is the best outcome possible from an audit. No budgetary overages were identified.
A vast amount of information is provided in the audit for full transparency. There are over 200 pages of detailed information available online.
The county’s financial position was strengthened by about $14M in 2023. We continue to invest in assets and infrastructure where needed, which is a blessing to be able to do. For example, the new Family Justice Center is nearing completion.
The county’s net position is greater than $200M. The total budget is over $250M per year. The county auditor also reported a $74M solid bottom line.
Also, there are funds set aside for the future. There have been no millage rate increases and the county tax rate has remained the same. Voters will decide later this year if they want to renew the county road millage, which is set to decrease slightly if approved. The road millage has strong support from elected officials serving in local cities, townships, and villages. Property owners may have experienced an increase in overall property taxes due to rising home values in Ottawa County. This is not due to an increase in the millage rate, but to inflationary factors and the strong demand for homes in Ottawa County.
Ottawa County continues to be among the state’s most conservative and wealthiest counties, is the fastest growing county, and has one of the lowest unemployment rates. Ottawa is truly one of the best places to live in Michigan!