The Courier of Montgomery County reports that, as a component of their 2024 $419 million budget, Montgomery County is taking on 29 more law enforcement officers. The budget also includes a decrease in the tax rate.
The tax rate dropped as a result of commissioner court action from 37.64 cents per $100 valuation to 36.96 cents per $100 valuation in a 4 to 1 vote. The lone nay vote was from Commissioner James Noack.
At 9:30 AM August 30th, the county will adopt their budget and tax rate for 2024.
A record caseload of property tax lawsuits in conjunction with the delaying of applied homestead exemptions were a couple of reasons for a rough financial year for the county. The suits and delays resulted in a county loss of $2.3 billion in property value and a shortage of revenue near $6 million.
However, Tax Assessor-Collector Tammy McRae earlier this month passed along that the loss had gone down to $4.9 million.
Budget Officer Amanda Carter said the rest of the shortage will be taken care of by other county revenue.
Rising from the 2023 Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office budget of $104.6 million to a proposed $113.1 million, the $7 million increase is for ramping up personnel for the western and northers areas of the county.
The $419 million budget will also cover pay raises for all employees. Judge Keough, however, declined a pay raise for himself.
