Montgomery County is adding 29 law enforcement officers as part of its $419 million budget for 2024 which includes a tax rate decrease.
In a 4-1 vote Thursday, the court set the tax rate at 36.96 cents per $100 valuation. That drops from the current rate of 37.64 cents per $100 valuation.
Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack was the lone nay vote.
The county will adopt its fiscal year 2024 budget and tax rate at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 30.
“We have done some great work here these last few days,” said County Judge Mark Keough said. “We have added so much to provide for the needs of the county. At the same time, we brought some tax relief from where we were last year.”
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Commissioners faced a tough budget year as a record number of property tax lawsuits coupled with a delay in applied homestead exemptions for 11,000 homeowners has left the county with a $2.3 billion loss in property value and a revenue shortage of almost $6 million.
Earlier this month, Tax Assessor-Collector Tammy McRae said the loss had narrowed to $4.9 million.
The remaining shortage will be covered by other county revenue streams, Budget Officer Amanda Carter said.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is seeing the biggest budget increase, climbing $7 million to a proposed $113.1 million from $104.6 million for 2023. The law enforcement budget is boosting personnel specifically for the western and northern areas of the county.
Sheriff Rand Henderson said the growth in the county is pushing the need despite partnerships with other law enforcement agencies in the county such as constable’s offices and municipal departments.
“A lot of you are seeing growth in your precincts,” Henderson said.
Along with adding law enforcement positions, the budget also includes pay raises for all employees, except for Keough who declined the pay raise.
