County Approves $119.5M Budget for 2025

By Gloria Way

  Chambers County Commissioners Court approved its 2025 budget this past Tuesday, September 24, 2024. The county’s fiscal year begins on January 1, 2025, and ends December 31, 2025. It also approved a tax rate of $0.440035/100. According to County Auditor Aaron Thomas, even with a tax decrease the county will see an increase in tax revenue of $6.6 million due to the increase in new values added to the tax roll. Since 2019, the county has reduced its total tax rate by $.10. In addition, Commissioners Court increased the total homestead exemption for persons over 65 years of age or disabled from $60,000 to $200,000 to help with the increase of property appraisals.

  In summary, the total anticipated revenue and expenses for the general fund is $75.7 million. Road and Bridge is expected to be $14 million. Debt service is $8.7 million. Enterprise funds which are golf, airport, solid waste is $4.6 million. Health Services is $9.8 million, and school equalization is $6.7 million. The total budget is $119.5 million. The county auditor noted that several of the large changes are due to the Justice Center payment of $9 million, insurance/bonds up from $1.2 million to $1.5 million, utilities up from, $1.2 million to $1.5 million, and Mont Belvieu and Winnie EMS payment increase from $750K to $1 million.

  The budget also reflects $13 million in PILOT (payment in lieu of tax payments). The benefits of short-term tax abatements have a significant impact by reducing unemployment, strengthening other business, increase tax revenue (new homes being built), long term growth after the abatement has expired through improvements and developed property, and provides a flexible economic development tool.

  In terms of long-term debt, since the beginning of January 2024, the county’s total debt obligation secured by property taxes is $178,658,372.12 and will pay $8,768,618.75 in principal and interest. All the county’s bond issues have successfully been rated “AA” by Standards and Poor’s.

  The budget includes a $2,500 across the board raise for all county employees. Twenty new employees will be added in 2025. They are a County Attorney secretary, District Attorney prosecutor, District Clerk Deputy, Fire Marshal Deputy, Maintenance Worker II, Park Ballfield Caretaker, SO CVE Traffic Officer, SO Jailers (8), SO School Resource Officer (2), SO Sergeant II (2), and Tax Office Assistant Supervisor.

  All information in this article was presented by the County Auditor to Chambers County Commissioners Court on Tuesday, September 24, 2024.