DURRENBERGER: TAX RATE INCREASE NEEDED TO OFFSET RISING PAYROLL COSTS
Washington County Judge John Durrenberger says the proposed increase in property taxes is needed for salary and cost-of-living increases for county employees.
On Tuesday, Washington County Commissioners proposed a new tax rate of $0.5032 per $100 valuation, up $0.0082 from 2020’s rate of $0.4950 per $100, and just shy of the voter approval rate of $0.5034 per $100.
When asked why the county is seeking to raise its tax rate as other local entities reduce theirs, Durrenberger explained that the county has no other means to obtain revenue than through ad valorem taxes. He added that the county is planning for $1.56 million in new budget costs through pay raises and new personnel positions.
Durrenberger said, “It takes a lot of money to give pay raises. We’re trying to keep and stay ahead of this inflation rate, and I’m not sure we’re doing it yet.” He said the county is trying to get closer to market value for employee salaries, but admitted it has been “way behind over the years.” He said the county is making other adjustments to the new budget to offset the increase from salaries.
Numbers compiled by Washington County Auditor Sharon Stolz show that the no-new-revenue tax rate of $0.4534 per $100 would have raised $19,130,091 in tax revenue. The current rate of $0.4950 per $100 would bring in $20,631,373. The newly proposed rate of $0.5032 per $100 would raise $20,927,298, up $295,925—or 1.43 percent—in revenue from the previous rate, and $1,797,207—or 9.39 percent—more than the no-new-revenue rate.
Durrenberger noted that roughly $375,000 in taxes are being generated from new properties, and that the increase in the current tax levy on all properties with the new rate would be $1,677,127.
The public will have the opportunity to provide comment on the proposed rate at a public hearing during the court’s meeting on Tuesday, September 14th.
Salaries behind the times plus a period of high inflation will cause an uproar and rightfully so. I applaud the county and any industry trying to match the salaries with cost of goods/living, but it is a very daunting task. Others just ignore it and continue paying pathetic wages for employees. Politics or not, the inflation rate has risen significantly since the new President took office. Good luck to anyone trying to outpace that rate!
Heaven help the seniors!! My social security doesn’t have a COL increase that would amount to the increase in my water bill!! The only trip I make is once a year and that is to the tax office to pay my property tax!! I don’t get subsidized for food, gas, electricity. When will seniors be let off the hook??
Wow. Their “revenue” needs to come from elsewhere. According to their assessment, my small, unimpressive home is worth twice as much as the market value(which still isnt what I could get selling it). My lord, where do these suits think working people get money. I’m about taxed out of everything. Maybe if the wealthy property owners paid something more in line of what the property is worth it would help. I know for a fact, I’ve seen the paperwork, that the owner of a near 300 acre ranch with 2 new ranch houses, new fencing, gravel roads, etc pays less in taxes for that place valued at near $3 MILLION than I do for my house and lot that I would kill to get $70,000 for…..where is the fairness in that?
The county and my insurance company need to have a talk. The county goes up in value and insurance companies want to devalue the property. Just a simple question..
The City lowered its property tax rate last year and this year. It is the growth of Brenham that allows them to do so…because of increased property values and new homes,, even with the tax rate being lowered the total taxes they collect is increasing. This article is about the county, which is raising their rate because they don’t have anyone controlling their spending. We need a whole new Commissioners Court, starting with the Judge.
amen
How are we to survive? When does this tax and spend tax and spend end? Give us an end game Judge? You and the rest of the politicians are selling us out. Stop breaking our backs give us the tax breaks not the corporations look out for We the People. Manage to get by on what you have not what you can get by more needless spending. The majority of the people in Washington County live on a budget we don’t have a choice so if you want to keep your job maybe you should too. Stop the tax increases,stop the blame game,and remember we are the majority We the People.
Yessir!
Why don’t you raise the sales tax? Everybody pays then, whether you own property or not. The people who own property are constantly punished for the county’s over spending and we are not the only ones using what the county is supposedly providing. We should all pay. Use a little common knowledge. Don’t beat people when they are already down.
This makes sense. Prices are going up on most things. Things cost money. It doesn’t always feel right, or fair, but that is the truth. I am sure that the county could save money in some places, and spend more in others, but that is all looking at it from the outside. I already pay plenty in taxes, and do not want to pay more, but it is going to happen regardless of my wishes. Unfortunately it needs to at times. Inflation is a real thing, and is happening right now, and will be for a while. I just hope that the increases in tax rates and property values that we have seen lately are not wasted on frivolous spending and unnecessary County/City/College administration and payroll.
Wish in one hand, and blank in the other, as the saying goes.
I’m pretty sure if the employees salaries were posted most of you would say… well maybe I’ll keep the job I have. I also bet most of you that complain about public employee raises would be pissed if the services suffered because the employees were constantly turning over and there was always a sense of confusion because of the constant turnover and training.
How about posting the salaries of the elected officials along with their bills and compare it to the average working man’s salary and his bills….most of us have cut everything extra out and still are barely making it. Taxes go up on property but the value of it does not. I’d kill to sell my house for what they valued it at….
I wish I could just raise taxes so I can get raise. It must be nice not to have to live within your budget. They raise taxes and evaluation it has to end.
Hey Judge! That is in the middle of the week during the Washington County Fair. You know the fair of the County that employees you! That will not allow as many people to be seen/heard about their concerns. And that is great they are concerned about cost of living raises of others. As other companies do NOT keep up with it as it is. And many citizens of this county work locally. Many are scraping by to make ends meet.
Pay raises?? Where is this pay raise at?? Anyone getting a pay raise because I haven’t seen it!! All i’ve seen is higher gas, taxes, food, and housing. But my paycheck has stayed the same…
Do you work for the County? Because he is talking about County employee pay raises, which is part of his budget. Those pay raises have been in the news a couple months ago.
Amen! I’ve done the research, a single person living with just the very basics can NOT cover those expenses with a basic salary from almost every employer in this county. Its fact, do the research yourself…..
If we want our community to grow and flourish, we need people to chose Brenham as their new home. If not for this, Brenham could be another dying town. Unfortunately, as a city grows, so do expenditures; it’s simple math. I would suggest that the city look into raising sales tax, as opposed to property taxes. There are those that rent and visit who could also contribute to our prosperity.
Has the Judge forgotten the County receives ,through the state, a portion of the sales tax collected? I believe more than $300,000.00 in February alone, which was a”down” month. Please don’t lie to justify paying for employee mistakes like the freeze damage to the buildings at the Expo Center. Tax rebates to businesses are one of the biggest issues.
This is what elections are made for. Primary elections in particular.
Bill
Washington County property values have gone up at least 10 percent in the last 2 years for everyone I know, myself included. How is that not enough to cover these payroll increases? Also, how many people in private industry do you know who are getting pay raises that are keeping up with the inflation we have right now? Private industry is trimming costs and cutting capital projects during these times. How about the county learn to do the same and get their budgets under control. But, back to my original question: HOW CAN +10% PROPERTY TAX VALUATIONS IN THE LAST 2 YEARS NOT COVER THESE PAY RAISE COSTS?
A new elections administrator at $60,000 per year when we only have elections every two years. Wish the tax payers got a cost of living raise from local employers. The Judge lives in his world not in the average taxpayer world, and the commissioners do whatever he tells them. So why are we paying commissioners when he runs the show? Not getting bids on projects and just paying the bill to local contractors adds expense. The ONLY way to change this is at election time, but people keep voting against their own interest, year after year.
Just wondering did the county get 7 million for covid. And if so were did they put that money
This is bull. I’m not stupid enough to believe this bull. Just look at all of the new construction improvements in this county. Just look at all of the new homes. Guess what fellow tax payers. All of these new improvements are new taxable properties. So you are getting more tax dollars and you choose to go up in values and rate. Anybody with an ounce of brain matter can understand that this is hypocrisy. A line of lies and a line of Bull.
Yessir! New subdivisions and new houses over $250,000 EVERYWHERE! Instead my little house on a small lot gets valued at almost 2.5 times more than it’s worth and I look down to find my pockets have been rummaged through. Make those with more pay for a while because those of us who had little are now out!
Blah Blah Blah!!!! Same old song and dance! Slow the unnecessary spending down and maybe for once the locals would have a shot at staying in this community! It’s getting to the point where it is getting harder and harder to justify being here for many people and especially older people on a somewhat fixed income. When will this end?
So true. When our income doesn’t go up but expense do, we cut back. Maybe we should ask the county judge for the money to pay our taxes or cut his salary. Seems all this judge wants to do is tax us to death. Maybe he and his rich friends need to live like the rest of us since it seems he only cares about the rich.
Our income does not go up. The cost of everything is up and it is hard to make ends meet. Give us a break