WILLIAMSON COUNTY PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE

Williamson County Commissioners Approve Budget, Pay Increases

            August 24, 2004 (Georgetown, TX) – Williamson County Commissioners approved an across the board 2% pay increase for all county employees to adjust for increases in the cost of living and 2.5% merit increases for employees as designated by department heads in the 2005 budget.  Commissioners approved recommendations for employee reclassifications, but capped those increases to 7.5%.  Approximately 57% of the county’s 1,144 employees were recommended for reclassifications.  Together, these employee salary increases total approximately $3.1 million with an average increase of 6.6%.  Commissioners also approved increases for elected officials as recommended by a citizen’s committee, but capped the raise for commissioners to 7.5%. 

            The court approved the budget recommended by Judge John Doerfler with a few additions.  Constables in Precinct 2 and 3 will receive additional personnel in order to collect more warrants.  The Constables promised the employees would pay for themselves in additional monies collected for the county or the Constables would not fund those positions next year. 

            The court also approved $150,000 for the Humane Society of Williamson County to continue boarding the county’s stray and abandoned animals.  This is an increase of $63,000 over last year’s budget.  Commissioners Limmer and Boatright will continue working on the development of a county-wide animal shelter in a more central location with participation from the cities and Humane Society.

The final department budgets with today’s changes will be recalculated and made available to the public by the end of the fiscal year on September 30, but equal approximately $80.8 million.  The court approved the use of $2.6 million from the cash ending balance to balance the 2005 budget.  The cash ending balance is projected to be $16.5 million on September 30, 2004.

            Also during today’s Commissioners Court, a public hearing was held on the 2005 tax rate.  The Commissioners will vote on the proposed tax rate of $.512217 on Tuesday, August 31, at 10 a.m.  This rate includes slight decreases in the operating and road and bridge tax rates, but a 6% increase due to debt from road bonds issued last spring.  This sets the tax rate three cents higher per $100 value than in 2004.

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