Monday, August 30, 2010

BEEN GONE TOO LONG

Well here I am again. No excuses for not blogging more often. Just busy and lots going on. Budget time for the county. I will be using this site more often to communicate with folks in Milam County that use the net.

There has been a lot in the media lately about the county budget. Some of it actually misinformation. I will try to clarify the reality of county budgeting in this and coming blogs.

One of the "foggy" rumors about the 2011 budget for Milam County is that we will be raising taxes. We are in fact lowering the county tax rate one cent to sixty cents per one hundred dollars of valuation. This coupled with the fact that most valuations decreased for 2011 results in a lower tax bill for the majority of county taxpayers.

The reason that Tax Increase Hearings are being held is that the county will be raising more revenue from ad valorem taxes than it did for the 2010 budget. Not because we are raising the tax rate, but because the Luminant Power Plant Project is now complete, and the full value of the plant is now on the tax roll. Anytime an entity receives more revenue from property taxes they are required by state law to hold Tax Increase Hearings. Even though the increase is a result of increased valuations rather than actually raising the tax rate. Perhaps a better title would be Tax Revenue Increase Hearings.

Many people actually pay a lower county tax bill in 2010. If you have questions about the county budgeting process stay tuned to this blog site, or call my office at 254-697-7000 and I will answer your questions.