WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS TO VOTE ON BUDGET, TAX RATE

  

Washington County Commissioners will move on Tuesday to adopt the county’s budget and tax rate for the next fiscal year.

The proposed budget posted on the county’s website lists $49,414,555 in disbursements, including $40,873,243 in general fund expenditures and $8,541,311 for the road and bridge fund. 

The new budget is slated to raise more revenue from property taxes than last year’s budget by $2,201,805, or 7.58 percent.  Revenue from new property added to the tax roll this year makes up $568,933 of that total. 

A public hearing will be held prior to the court’s vote on the budget and ratification of the property tax increase reflected in the budget.

Next, commissioners will look to approve an order levying the property tax rate at $0.3840 per $100 valuation, the same as last year’s. 

The proposed rate is different in how it is broken down, as since the county no longer has outstanding debt, there is no interest and sinking (I&S) portion of the rate.  The $0.0075 that was previously allocated for I&S will be shifted into the maintenance and operations (M&O) portion, going up from $0.2975 in the current rate to $0.3040 in the new rate.  The share for road and bridge will slightly increase, from $0.0790 to $0.080. 

At the conclusion of the regular meeting, commissioners will open a public meeting for the Pecan Glen Road District and vote on an order levying taxes for the road district at the proposed rate of $0.284546 per $100.  The rate is lower than the current rate of $0.297725.  The tax only applies to residents inside the Pecan Glen subdivision for the purpose of funding road upgrades.

Other business at the court’s regular meeting will include:

• Public hearings and action on petitions to reduce the speed limits on Gideon Lincecum Lane in Precinct 3, from Rehburg Road to the end of the roadway, and on Rolling Creek Road in Precinct 4, from FM 389 to Sawmill Road.  The county engineer’s recommended speed limit is 30 mph on both roads.
• The reading of a proclamation declaring September 5 – October 8 as the official period of the Washington County READ.
• Accepting a donation of $3,915 from Charles Frede.
• Approval of a collateral assignment of rights to reimbursement from BK Stringer, LTD to Southstate Bank, N.A.

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