Court adopts tax rate/approves budget
Rate set at .5132 cents per $100 valuation
The Lavaca County Commissioners’ Court met Monday morning and set the 2024 property tax rate and the 2024-25 county budget.
Prior to the regular meeting, the court held a public hearing on continued collection of records management/preservation fees in the county clerk’s office. Also, it held public hearings on the proposed 2024-25 budget and proposed 2023 tax rate.
During the public hearing, county resident Frank Fishar spoke to the court regarding the proposed budget and tax rate.
Fishar asked questions concerning the rainy day fun, as well as budget increases for county attorney deputies and assistants and the pauper funeral fund. He also questioned as to whether Colorado County is sharing in the cost of the EMS director.
Overall, Fishar complimented the court on its work by saying, “Recently, someone asked me why I was not coming as often as I used to the court meeting. It is simple, when things are going well, I don’t need to come. Thanks for the work you are doing. I see a lot of good work going in the county. I am very optimistic for the county’s future.”
During the regular meeting, the court voted unanimously, by show of hands, to adopt the 2024 tax rate at .5132 cents per $100 valuation. The rate included .4137 cents for the Methods and Operation rate, .0995 for the Farm to Market rate and .0000 for the debt service rate.
In addition, the court approved the 2024-25 budget with a unanimous 5-0 vote by show of hands.
In regards to local government code, the court acknowledged this year’s budget will raise more revenue from property taxes than last year’s budget by an amount of $916,104, which is a 4.85% increase from last year’s budget.
The property tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year is $345,309.
In addition to adopting the tax rate and budget, the Court also set the salaries, expenses and other allowances for elected or precinct officers.
Also, the court set the salary, expenses and other allowances of elected and precinct officers. It included only increase in salaries for the four Justices of Peace and the four constables in Lavaca County.