County Adopts New Budget; Sets Tax Rate
The Glasscock County Commissioners’ Court, meeting in special session Sept. 26, accepted a budget based on expected income of $2.3 million and expenses of $2.5 million. The budget includes annual raises of $600 each for full-time county employees and elected officials. The court denied Extension Agent Charlene Belew’s July request for a $3,000 raise, giving her only the $600 increase, though they did double the funds allocated for 4-H activities under her supervision to $3,000.
The court set the new tax rate at $.5425 (54 cents) for maintenance and operation plus five cents debt service for the community center, for a total of $.5925 (59 cents) per $100 valuation. The current total tax is $.5788.
As expected, the court adopted a new budget projecting $54,000 in income and $56,000 in expenses for the Garden City Water System.
On Sept. 30, the court passed 36 amendments to the county’s 2003 budget in order to bring each account into balance. Most involved moving funds from one account to another within the same department
County Judge Wilburn Bednar reported that the county’s appraisal firm is conferring with lawyers regarding whether Glasscock County should join in the suit filed by Midland County and others against several oil companies. The suit alleges lost tax income due to the companies under-reporting the value of their oil and gas properties during several past years.
Prior to the Sept. 26 meeting, the court reversed an earlier decision and decided to allow a tool company to rent the community center after the company offered to pay $400 in rental rather than the original $100 fee.