On Tuesday, June 25, the Smith County Commissioners Court held its initial workshop to discuss the first working draft of the Smith County Budget for Fiscal Year 2025.
Additional workshops and public hearings are scheduled before the budget takes effect on October 1, 2024.
This year’s theme is “Breaking Ground.”
“Of course, this is due to all the construction taking place, but it also represents some new business relationships we have forged,” Smith County Judge Neal Franklin said. “My promise when I ran for county judge was to make this county a better place for the citizens and the employees of Smith County. For the citizens, my goal is always to keep the taxes at a reasonable level while providing the high level of services the citizens expect and demand. For the employees, my goal is to provide them with a living wage and benefits in addition to a work environment in which they feel appreciated and respected.”
Franklin said this year’s budge focuses on three areas:
- The remainder of the debt service comes from the “voter approved” courthouse and parking facility bond.
- Cover the cost of the insurance increase for our employees, which is about $100 per employee.
- Raising the contracts for the county’s indigent defense contract attorneys working in the district courts.
The contract indigent criminal defense attorneys’ salaries will go from $95,000 to $125,000 each. These are in the 7th, 114th, 241st and 475th. The 7th, 114th and 241st District Courts will each get an additional contract attorney. The total increase is $696,860.
“Keeping these positions filled and our justice system moving forward is critical,” Franklin said.
Kari Perkins, Smith County’s new budget officer, gave a detailed view of the working draft budget.
The FY24 adopted tax rate is 34.7264 cents. Mrs. Perkins said it is too early to tell what the FY25 proposed tax rate will be until more information is collected, including the Smith County Appraisal District’s certified tax roll that will be provided in late July. They also will not find out the no-new-revenue rate until August.
The Smith County Appraisal District is not part of Smith County government, and, while the Smith County Commissioners Court sets the tax rate, the Appraisal District independently sets property values for all taxing jurisdictions.
Various departments requested a total of 31 new vehicles. The working draft budget includes purchasing 11 vehicles for the following departments: one for Constable 3, one for Constable 4, three for the Sheriff’s Office, one for Animal Control, one for the Jail and four for the Road and Bridge Department.
There were 39 new employees requested but only nine are included in the working draft budget. They include one for Information Technology, one for County Court-at-Law 3, one for Facility Services and six for the Jail.
The second budget workshop is scheduled for July 30, and elected officials and department heads will have a chance to address their budget requests during that meeting.
The deadline to file the proposed FY25 Budget is August 26. Public hearings for the proposed budget and tax rate will be held August 27, and the Commissioners Court is scheduled to vote on the proposed budget and tax rate on September 3.
To watch the Commissioners Court Budget Workshop or view the presentations from the meeting, visit: www.smith-county.com/i-want-to/search/commissioners-court-recordsor www.facebook.com/SmithCountyTexas
