Jefferson County residents might see their tax rate drop and employees see their pay increase, if all county budget proposals go through as planned.
This would be the first time the tax rate has changed since 2017. From 2009 to 2016, the tax rate was 36.5 cents per $100 of valuation. It fell to 35.4 cents per $100 of valuation from 2017 to 2020. Now it is slated to drop again.
“We’re planning on reducing the current tax rate just a little bit,” said County Auditor Patrick Swain. “The tax rate’s going to drop.”
Last week, the Jefferson County Commissioners Court gave conditional approval for a budget proposal to decrease the 2022 property tax rate to 36.3 cents per $100 of valuation.
The commissioners also looked at boosting employees’ salaries.
“We ran at a 4% increase to the payroll for the county employees,” Swain said. “That was one of the biggest decisions we made.”
That is the largest payroll increase in recent years.
Last year, the commissioner’s court gave a contractually-required 3% increase to sheriff’s employees and 2.5% to constable’s employees.
All other employees’ salaries were raised by 2%.
In fiscal year 2019-20, the sheriff’s employees salaries increased by 3.5% and all other employee salaries increased by 2.5%.
A public hearing and final vote for the entire budget, which includes these two measures, is set for Sept. 21 — in time for the beginning of the fiscal year on Oct. 1.
However, County Judge Jeff Brannick suggested the hearing and final vote may be moved to Sept. 14 to take into account the unpredictability of hurricane season.
The commissioner’s meetings start at 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays on the Fourth Floor of the County Courthouse, 1149 Pearl St.
rachel.kersey@beaumontenterprise.com
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