Surprise! Commissioners pass budget with no tax rate increase or pay raise

Hold on to your hats, taxpayers. 2012 may yet be the budget year for a steep increase in the tax rate. All the more reason to closely examine the current crop of candidates for County Judge and County Precincts 2 and 4

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Hays County Commissioners late yesterday unanimously passed (4-0) a 2011 budget in the neighborhood of $240 million that includes about $150 million in construction, mostly road bond projects, and voted to leave the county's tax rate at its current level, 46.92 cents per $100 valuation on property.

So, there will be no increase in the tax rate in the new budget. Also, surprisingly and against much pressure from county elected officials, commissioners rejected a proposed 2% pay raise. Seems the pressure from voters and taxpayers, especially in an election season, was too much to bear for commissioners court members.

Commissioners went late into the day yesterday adjusting the budget, making cuts, and putting things off for the next budget. Some are saying (who are very knowledgeable about county revenues and budgeting) it will be a wingdinger. The 2012 budget is now expected to become the budget that will play catchup to expenditures not included in the 2011 budget and the ever-mounting county road bond and construction debt. It will be almost impossible for the next budget to afford everything without a big pick up in the local economy and property values plus an upswing in sales tax rebates from the state.

Hold on to your hats, taxpayers. 2012 may yet be the budget year for a steep increase in the tax rate. All the more reason to closely examine the current crop of candidates for County Judge and County Commissioner Precincts 2 and 4.

Note: County Judge Liz Sumter was present for most of yesterday's budget session but was called away on an emergency around five o'clock. She was unable to vote on the budget. Her grandmother in Indiana needs family close by. We wish them well. Also, Pct. 3 Commissioner Will Conley's $150,000 grant proposal to the San Marcos Economic Development Corporation was discussed but authorization to cut the check has not been received by the county auditor's office, as of this morning.