On Tuesday, August 22, the Smith County Commissioners Court will hold two public hearings on the proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Budget and Tax Rate.
The proposed FY24 Budget was filed Tuesday, August 15, in the Smith County Clerk’s Office. It includes a proposed tax rate of .347264 cents per $100 valuation, an increase from the current tax rate of 33 cents.
The tax increase is caused by the Courthouse and Parking Garage Bond approved by voters in November 2022, Smith County Judge Neal Franklin said.
The proposed budget can be found here: www.smith-county.com/government/departments/auditor/financials/adopted-budgets
Franklin said the theme for the proposed, balanced budget is “Together, We Can!”
“Working together as a community has never been more important as we move forward with construction of a new courthouse and parking facility,” he said. “Armed with community support and the knowledge that we are facing increased debt service in our budget, I asked the elected officials and department leaders to sharpen their pencils on their budget requests. They did exactly as I requested and we carefully worked through the budget together.”
Two public hearings will be held Tuesday, August 22, at 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. in the Commissioners Courtroom, located in the Annex Building at 200 E. Ferguson in Tyler.
The Commissioners Court is scheduled to vote on the proposed budget and tax rate on September 5. Once approved, they will go into effect on October 1, 2023, which starts the County’s new fiscal year.
In addition to addressing the new bond debt from the Courthouse and Parking Garage Bond, Franklin said the budget includes two other major areas of focus -- a cost of living raise for all employees and addressing the continual issue of detention officer vacancies within the jail.
“These are financially challenging times for everyone due to the inflation we currently face and have experienced over the last year,” Franklin stated in his budget cover letter. “I am so very proud of everyone that gives their all daily for this County and that have stayed with us through some challenging times. Our goal with a 5 percent COLA is to reward and retain our dedicated team members.”
Detention Officer vacancies in the jail have been an issue for several years.
“Hiring new officers is not the problem. Retention is the issue,” Franklin said. “We believe that offering overtime pay rather than accrued compensatory time will be a positive step towards retaining these employees.”
The County’s overall financial position remains strong, despite the challenges of inflation. Recently, the County received an AA+ bond rating, even with us taking on the new voter-approved debt, he said.
“I am sincerely thankful to all our elected officials, department heads, and the County Auditor and staff for each of your contribution to this proposed budget,” Franklin said. “I am pleased to present this balanced Proposed Budget for FY2024.
“I am proud to serve each of you as your County Judge. It is an honor to work alongside of you as we strive to provide the citizens of Smith County the best quality at the best price. Together we can!”
