On the heels of calling for a $683 million bond election in November, Collin County commissioners wrapped up budget discussions for the upcoming fiscal year with a vote to raise taxes.
The $470 million budget would raise county property taxes to about 15 cents per $100 valuation. Last year, the adopted budget was $434.8 million.
The vote during the Aug. 16 budget workshop was not unanimous. Collin County Judge Chris Hill voted against the proposal.
“Voters will not get to vote on this increase. However, this increase is so large that it is actually using up the tax raises we didn’t raise in the prior years,” Hill said. “So we’re going back and using up all the goodwill of not raising taxes in prior years and we’re raising taxes not only for this year, but for those years, as well. And this is just, it’s a remarkable tax increase
Commissioner Darrell Hale said in the five budgets that he has participated in, this is the first time he voted in the affirmative for an increase.
“This budget and the proposed tax rate would achieve a lot,” Hale said. “I hate tax increases … We can’t help the macro economic environment that we’re in.”
The new budget will add personnel to development services, engineering, public works, tax offices, animal services, law enforcement, courts and the jail.
Hill posted his disappointment on social media, saying this increase is the largest in the county’s history. The example he gave includes the average home value in Collin County at $584,050, which would put the property tax bill at $828.63, an increase of about $85.
Hill said the tax hike puts the bond election at risk.
Commissioners on Aug. 14 officially called for the election. The Nov. 7 bond package will include $380 million for road projects, $13.3 million for the medical examiner’s office, $261.8 million for justice facility projects, $5.7 million for the animal shelter and $22.4 million for parks and open space.
“After we announce to the public what we’ve done, if this passes, and then we tell citizens you don’t get to have a say in this—you don’t get to have a vote, you don’t get to have a voice—we will then ask them to vote for the bond election. And we will ask them if they would be willing to raise their taxes again, voluntarily,” Hill said before the budget vote.
The final budget and tax rate will be voted on during the Sept. 11 meeting. Commissioners meet weekly, which gives residents who want to comment opportunities to speak Aug. 28 and Sept. 11.
