Warren sets tax rates

Published 6:00 am Sunday, September 13, 2026

Real estate property taxes in Warren County will remain at 14 cents per $100 for 2026 and personal property taxes will be lowered slightly this year after Warren Fiscal Court approved the rates on Thursday.

“Warren County is growing, and so are the demands on the (fiscal court),” Judge-executive Doug Gorman said. “But what I’m happy about is this is the fifth consecutive cut to either real or personal rates.”

The rate for real estate means that property owners would pay $140 on a piece of property valued at $100,000.

For personal property, which includes things like equipment for businesses, the owner would pay $167.80 on property valued at $100,000. The 2026 rate was lowered from last year’s rate of 16.86 cents per $100.

Even though the rate is lower, an increase in personal property values means more revenue will come into the county.

Gorman told the Daily News that the county expects an increase of around $700,000 to come in through property taxes this year, for an expected total of $21,240,000 in revenue for 2026.

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“One thing that this court’s been very intent on the last 10 years, especially, is continuing to manage the (county’s) growth but also drop the rate when possible,” Gorman said, adding that the county will have a balanced budget.

“I think this court has been a very, very good steward of the taxpayer’s money, and has tried every way possible to have the lowest amount of taxes with the best services that can be provided,” he said.

Assessments of property values are handled by the Warren County Property Valuation Administrator, not by local government or by school boards, and properties that saw a higher assessed value this year will pay more in taxes.

County property taxes are collected by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office. While exact details are still being finalized, Warren County Sheriff Brett Hightower told magistrates that WCSO is looking at an October date to begin collections.

The City of Bowling Green set its tax rate this summer at $0.203 per $100. Property taxes for the city, county and both school districts are traditionally due by Dec. 31, which falls on a Thursday this year. Late fees normally begin on tax payments made Jan. 1 and later.

Magistrates also approved the purchase of a little more than 63 acres of land located in the area of Louisville Road and Lauren Avery Drive, near the salt barn operated by Warren County Public Works.

Officials OK’d the purchase for $1,526,826. The land was purchased at auction and had an appraised value of more than $3 million.

Gorman said while a use for the land has yet to be determined, the expansion of the Warren County Fire Department and the ongoing expansion feasibility study with the Warren County Regional Jail could come into play, as could other needs for the county.

“No immediate plans, (but) that does give us a lot of options and opportunities,” he told the Daily News.

The county hopes to close on the property by Oct. 1. Over the next few months magistrates and county officials will begin identifying different long-term capital projects, but Gorman doesn’t expect anything happening until next year, at the earliest.

“We never want to do something that’s going to have a negative impact on on the taxpayers,” he said. “And so it’s all about the growth, but doing it within our budget.”

About Jack Dobbs

Jack covers city government for the Daily News. Originally from Simpson County, he attended Western Kentucky University and graduated in 2022 with a degree in journalism.

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