Allocation of funds for projects that are a part of Hays County’s 2016 bond measure led officials to approve a $371 million Fiscal Year 2018 budget Sept. 19.
While Hays County will be spending more money, officials also approved a slight decrease in the county’s ad valorem tax rate.
Hays County Commissioners approved a property tax rate of .4450 per $100 valuation for FY 18. The rate is a decrease from FY 17, when the rate was .4600 per $100 valuation.
Mark Jones, Hays County Pct. 2 commissioner, says this is the lowest tax rate the county has had in 21 years. Jones said county officials lowered the rate by one and a half cents, and were “about nine-tenths of a cent” from the effective rate of .4465.
“I feel like we did a really good job of managing this year’s budget and trying to be as conservative as we could,” Jones said.
Hays County’s budget increase comes mostly from voter-approved bonds.
The county is planning to allot $100 million for public safety facilities, $25 million for road improvement bonds and $38 million for the final issue of pass-through road bonds.
The budget is expected to receive over $4.4 million in revenue from property taxes, which constitutes a 6.8 percent increase from last year’s budget.
Over $3.3 million will come from new properties added to the tax roll.
Some of the highlights in the budget include $2.9 million for 43 new full time positions and personnel changes within Hays County offices.
The county will also spend $1 million for radio communications infrastructure, $1 million for flood mitigation projects and $850,000 for emergency services and law enforcement technology. The county will also spend $500,000 for jail improvements and repairs.
Elected officials will not be getting a salary increase in FY 18.
The budget was proposed in the commissioners court on Aug. 22 and a public hearing was held Sept. 19.
The fiscal year for the county begins Oct. 1, 2017.
