FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to set the tax rate for 2011-12 at $1.01 per $1,000 of property valuation, an increase of 1 cent over last year’s rate.

Commissioners mulled using $100,000 of undesignated funds to offset the taxes but after reviewing affects on a variety of towns and seeing there was not much of an influence, decided that the money should be used to build up the county’s surplus account.

Deputy Treasurer Charisse Keach said after the last audit the county had $939,000 in undesignated funds and $50,000 in designated funds.

She didn’t recommend using more than $100,000 to offset taxes.

“I don’t think it is overly burdensome for towns to pay a little bit more,” Commissioner Gary McGrane of Jay said.

It will help the county in the long run to build up the undesignated fund so money can possibly be used in the future to offset taxes again, he said.

Seven percent interest will be charged if taxes are not paid on time, which is a rate set by the state, county Clerk Julie Magoon said.

The first half of the tax bill is due Sept. 1 and the second half, Feb. 1, 2012.

After revenues are factored into the $5.23 million budget for the current year, the amount to be assessed to taxpayers is $4.65 million, according Magoon’s tax information.

County towns are responsible for $4.43 million in taxes, a $13,812 increase from 2010-11, and unorganized townships’ share is $296,637, an increase of $56,737 from last year.

The overall value of the towns decreased from $4.42 billion to $4.39 billion this year and the valuation of unorganized townships increased from $239.9 million to $293.7 million this year.

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