WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF BUDGET, LEVYING OF TAX RATE

  

Washington County Commissioners will take up action on the proposed budget and tax rate for the new fiscal year at their meeting Tuesday.

Commissioners will first hold a public hearing to receive comments on the proposed budget, which accounts for $32.5 million in expected expenditures.  The budget will raise $540,009 more revenue from property taxes than last year’s budget, a 2.886 percent increase.  The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is $594,000.

After the hearing, commissioners will take a record vote to approve adoption of the budget and ratify the property tax increase reflected in the budget.

Commissioners will also take a record vote to levy the property tax rate for 2020 at 49.5 cents per $100 valuation, the same total rate as 2019’s.  The rate consists of 48.07 cents for maintenance and operations, and 1.43 cents for debt service.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners will consider approval of a resolution re-adopting the guidelines and criteria for granting tax abatement in a reinvestment zone created in the county.

The phase-in incentive means the partial, temporary exemption from ad valorem taxes on certain qualifying property in a reinvestment zone designated by the City of Brenham or Washington County for economic development purposes.  Commissioners last passed a resolution readopting the guidelines and criteria for the abatement in September of 2018.

The court will also hear monthly reports from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, EMS, E-911, Information Technology (IT), and Veterans Service Officer.

Commissioners will meet Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. at the Washington County Courthouse Annex.