Hays Commissioners post tax rate, budget

Hays County Commissioners have proposed a tax rate of 0.4690 per $100 of assessed valuation for Fiscal Year 2015 and a county budget of $157 million, and have set hearing dates for public comment on both. The proposed tax rate is the same as the current tax year, but since more improved property is on the tax rolls, there would be about $3.6 million more in tax revenue collected. The budget includes $225,000 to complete implementation of a new Computer Aided Dispatch System, $150,000 to continue a new jail facility study, $525,000 for 15 new law enforcement vehicles, as well as funds for upgrading server storage, Wi-Fi for county buildings and video magistration. The funds are also marked for law enforcement personnel raises, a 4 percent cost-of-living raise for elected officials and a 4 percent merit/market adjustment pool for employee raises. Public hearings on the proposed tax rate are set for Sept. 2. and Sept. 9 at the Hays County Courthouse. A public hearing on the county’s proposed budget is set for Sept. 16 in the same location.