WASHINGTON CO. APPRAISAL DISTRICT BOARD DISCUSSES PROPOSED BUDGET, HEA PROJECT
The Washington County Appraisal District Board of Directors held further discussion on the proposed 2021-22 budget at its meeting Tuesday.
The proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year is $979,180, an increase of $67,686 from the current fiscal year budget of $911,494. Nearly all of the proposed increase falls under payroll costs, which are projected to climb to $680,600 from the current payroll of $613,013.
Chief Appraiser Dyann White explained that the increase primarily comes from an increase in work days. She said since the appraisal district is run through Brenham ISD, it has historically worked a 226-day calendar. She is proposing for appraisal district employees to work 250 days like other government offices in order to better keep up with the demands of the job.
In addition to changing the number of workdays, White is budgeting for a 4 percent pay raise for all staff. She said some staff members are being reclassified due to increased duties and some appraisers achieving higher levels of licensure.
A public hearing for the budget will be held at the board’s meeting on June 22nd.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board tabled a proposal from Linebarger Attorneys at Law to include the county in its Homestead Exemption Analysis (HEA) project. Initially presented to the board in April, the HEA is an audit of residential homesteads that would determine whether certain properties in the county qualify for homestead exemptions.
Through the use of national and international databases, the firm would see if residents are living somewhere other than their claimed homestead, or if deceased residents are still receiving a homestead. The decision of whether or not to remove the exemption would be made by the chief appraiser.