Dubois County Posts $2.3M Investment Earnings in 2025 Despite Falling Rates

Dubois County posted $2.3 million in investment earnings for 2025, a level that county officials say helped blunt pressure on local property taxes even as market interest rates declined through the year. The total matches the county’s 2023 investment income and is down from a 2024 peak of $2.7 million.

County Treasurer Craig Greulich presented the results to the Dubois County Board of Finance on January 21, outlining where the county keeps its cash and how it earned those returns. The county held $6.4 million in certificates of deposit and about $41.5 million in deposits at Springs Valley Bank, which pays a variable interest rate adjusted weekly. The county also collected interest on Certificates of Deposit at other local banks; the four CDs held by the county generated $254,000 in 2025.

Greulich noted the county earns interest on three primary accounts: the general fund, excise tax collections, and payroll. He emphasized doing business locally and said local bank rates compared favorably with state investment alternatives, a strategy that kept more earnings circulating within the county’s economy.

The meeting also included a breakdown of property tax distribution. Schools receive 53 percent of total property tax collections, while the county’s share is 14.7 percent, roughly $10 million. The remainder of property tax revenue supports airports, cities and towns, townships, tax increment financing districts, and fire districts. County officials framed the $2.3 million in interest income as a direct offset that reduces the amount the county must raise through taxes.

Board business addressed smaller fiscal housekeeping matters as well. The board approved returning $537.27 in uncashed checks from two years ago to the general fund after efforts to locate recipients proved unsuccessful.

For Dubois County residents, the investment earnings signal continued fiscal prudence amid a lower-rate environment. Holding substantial deposits locally and diversifying between CDs and variable-rate bank accounts allowed the county to sustain meaningful interest income even as yields eased nationwide. County officials will carry these figures into 2026 budget planning and continued conversations with local banks about competitive rates.

Looking ahead, the county’s approach - keeping cash close to home while monitoring rate shifts - will be one factor shaping how much revenue must be raised through property taxes and how county services are funded in the coming year.