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TO PLEASE RISE FOR THE INVOCATION, COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ IS GOING TO GIVE IT AND THEN THE PLEDGES PLEASE.
>> THE LORD GOD HEAVENLY FATHER. WE ARE HERE TODAY ASKING YOU FIRST OF ALL WE WANT TO GIVE YOU THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR THIS COMMISSIONERS COURT, THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF EMPLOYEES, FAMILIES, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PRAYERS YOU SENT OUR WAY. WE ARE ALWAYS ASKING YOU FOR SOMETHING AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE GIVEN US, AT THIS TIME WE ARE ASKING YOU TO HELP US MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR THE RIGHT REASONS TO CONTINUE FORWARD, TAKE CARE OF COMMUNITY, PEOPLE AND IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH, WE HAVE TO MAKE IT WORK AND FIGURE IT OUT.
>> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD , INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS, ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE.
>> THANK YOU, YOU MAY BE SEATED. WE HAVE THREE COMMISSIONERS PRESENT, COUNTY JUDGE I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER PUSLEY NOTIFIED US HE WAS RUNNING FIVE MINUTES LATE, HE SHOULD BE WALKING IN ANY MINUTE. IT IS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, AT 9:OR FOR A.M.
AND WE ARE CALLING THIS MEETING TO ORDER IN THE NUECES COUNTY COURTROOM AT 901 LEOPARD. DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC COMMENT? THANK YOU. IT IS 9:04 AND WE WILL START OUR PUBLIC
[A. Commissioners Court will conduct a public hearing on the proposed property tax rate for FY 2025-2026 to include a proposal to increase the property tax revenues for maintenance and operations from properties on the tax roll in the preceding tax year by 9.28% for Nueces County and 10.20% for Nueces County Hospital District, an amount greater than the no-new revenue tax rate.]
HEARING. THE VOTES FOR THIS BUDGET AND TAX RATE WILL BE ON OUR SEPTEMBER 10 WEDNESDAY, REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING FOR NOTIFICATION BEFORE WE GET STARTED. AND , PUBLIC HEARING ITEM MAY PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE FISCAL YEAR 25-26 TO INCLUDE PROPOSAL TO INCREASE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION FOR PROPERTIES ON THE TAX RULE. I BELIEVE FIRST WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT AND THEN WE WILL DO THE COUNTY PROPOSAL.>> GOOD MORNING JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL HERE ON A THURSDAY MORNING. JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU ALL I LIKE TO COVER THE SLIDES THIS MORNING, I PREVIOUSLY SHARED WITH YOU A COPY OF OUR BUDGET, I WILL GO OVER THE BUDGET AGAIN SEPTEMBER 10 AS WELL AS THESE SAME SLIDES, BUT WITH REGARDS TO THE SLIDES I THINK THAT CONSTANCE HAS A TAX NOTICE YOU ARE BEING SHOWN FOR THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT AND I BELIEVE THE NOTICE HAS BEEN POSTED APPROPRIATELY. AND THEN ALSO, I HAVE SOME SLIDES I HAVE SHARED WITH THE COURT AND IF YOU ALL HAVE THOSE, IF CONNIE COULD BRING THOSE UP I WOULD LIKE TO RUN THROUGH THEM, THERE ARE SIX OF THEM.
>> BUDGET SLIDES FROM LAST TIME? >> NOT THE SPREADSHEETS, BUT THE SLIDES THAT START WITH SELECTED TRENDS AND I SENT THEM MONDAY. I CAN TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THEM, THAT'S FINE.
>> WE SHOULD HAVE THEM IF YOU SENT THEM MONDAY. THEY ARE NOT
THERE? >> THE HIGHLIGHTS , VERY BRIEFLY JUDGE AND COMMISSIONERS, THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT CONTINUES TO THIS YEAR RECOMMENDED THE NO NEW REVENUE TAX RATE OR THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE. WE HAVE DONE THIS MANY YEARS IN A ROW AND SLIDES SHOW A GRAPH OF THAT. THE NEXT SLIDE WOULD SHOW YOU THAT OUR , COUNTY HEALTH CARE EXPENDITURE TREND INCREASES THIS YEAR AND THAT IS PRIMARILY DUE TO THE COST OF THE EXPECTED COST OF THE JAIL HEALTHCARE CONTRACT THAT IS COMING UP, THAT CONTRACT DOES NOT TAKE EFFECT UNTIL DECEMBER 1, SO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS WE HAVE TAKEN THE TWO HIGHEST BIDS AND USE THE AVERAGE OF THE TWO HIGHEST TO INSERT THAT AS THE BUDGET AMOUNT. ALSO, THE SLIDES WILL SHOW YOU THAT , THE HOSPITAL DISTRICTS AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES EXPENDITURES HAVE DECREASED THIS YEAR AND THE
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REASON THEY ARE DECREASING IS BECAUSE WE HAVE RECEIVED FUNDING OR MHID RECEIVED FUNDING FROM THE STATE FOR THE SERVICES WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING ALONG THE WAY. IT DOES NOT COVER ALL THE COST OF THEM, BUT IT DOES OFFSET QUITE A BIT OF THE COST SO THAT'S WHAT THE THIRD SLIDE WOULD SHOW YOU. THE FOURTH SLIDE , COMMISSIONERS, WOULD SHOW YOU THAT THE , THE 70% OF THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT REVENUES COME FROM NON- TAX SOURCES. SO LET ME SAY THAT AGAIN. 70% OF THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT REVENUES COME FROM NON- TAX SOURCES, OF COURSE THE OTHER 30 COMES FROM TAX SOURCES AND THE NON-TAX SOURCE IN THIS CASE WOULD BE THE REVENUE THAT IS SHARED WITH US. WITH REGARD TO, THIS IS THE FIFTH SLIDE COMING UP. WITH REGARD TO OUR EXPENDITURES WE HAVE IN OUR FY 26 BUDGET, A BULK OF THE EXPENDITURES AS IN PAST YEARS GOES TOWARD INTERGOVERNMENTAL TRANSFERS AND SMALLER AMOUNTS GO TO THE COUNTY HEALTH CARE EXPENDITURES AND THEN, TO OUR THIRD YEAR OF SUPPORTING THE EMERGENCY MEDICINE RESIDENCY PROGRAM. AND THEN FINALLY, THE LAST SLIDE I HAVE IS TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL THAT THE HOSPITAL DISTRICTS, OVERALL FUND BALANCE IS GOING TO GO DOWN FROM 140 MILLION, TO 120 MILLION, ROUGHLY DIVIDED EQUALLY BETWEEN THE INDIGENT CARE FUND AND THE GENERAL FUND. AND AGAIN COMMISSIONERS I WILL SHARE WITH YOU, THE ACTUAL DETAILS OF THE BUDGET AGAIN. THAT I HAVE SHARED WITH YOU IN THE PAST AS WELL AS THESE GRAPHICS WE DID NOT COVER TODAY. THAT IS ALL I HAVE FOR THIS MORNING.>> THESE WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TODAY OR YOUR SLIDES OR ANYTHING TO ADD TO THE POSTING TODAY FOR NEXT WEEK?
>> BOTH OF THE SLIDES AND THE BUDGET ARE WITH YOUR SEPTEMBER
10. >> PUBLIC INFORMATION WILL BE POSTED TODAY SO THEY WILL HAVE THOSE AS WELL, THIS WAS PREVENTED -- PRESENTED AT PREVIOUS COURT, BUT IT WILL BE POSTED AT THE AGENDA FOR NEXT WEEK'S COURT TODAY BY 5:00 P.M.
I WOULD ASSUME. >> JUDGE, ONE OTHER THING I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU THAT I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER WITH YOUR POSTING NEXT WEEK AND I MAY HAVE THE NOMENCLATURE WRONG, BUT THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL POSTING THAT WE NEED TWO, AS OF SEPTEMBER 1. THAT WAS NOT INCLUDED WITH THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT BUDGET BECAUSE IT WAS ADOPTED ON AUGUST 26. BUT THERE
IS AN ADDITIONAL. >> WE HAVE THAT AS WELL AND WE ARE INCLUDING THOSE. WE HAVE THAT COVERED AS WELL. I BELIEVE THEY HAVE PREPARED YOURS, BUT I WOULD GET CONSTANCE TO SEND IT TO YOU SO YOU CAN APPROVE IT BEFORE WE ATTACH IT AS WELL TO
THE AGENDA. >> OKAY SOUNDS GOOD THANK YOU
COMMISSIONERS. >> I'M SORRY, DID ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING? THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU. >> OKAY, MOVING ON TO THE NUECES COUNTY , CONSTANCE YOUR SLIDES AND I BELIEVE SHE HAS THOSE,
YES. >> GOOD MORNING COUNTY JUDGE AND
COMMISSIONERS. >> PULL YOUR MICROPHONE CLOSER.
>> WE ARE HOLDING TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS TAX CODE SECTION 26 BECAUSE WE ARE PROPOSING NUECES COUNTY TAX RATE FISCAL YEAR 2025 -2026 TO BE GREATER THAN THE NO NEW REVENUE NATE RATE, THE RATE IS THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE. BECAUSE OF THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED. FIRST, 70S BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND NOTICE OF MUST BE POSTED ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE UNTIL THE HEARING IS CONCLUDED AND THAT HAS BEEN POSTED.
SECOND, FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARING A NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING MUST BE PUBLISHED IN THE NEWSPAPER. THE NOTICE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE TIMES ON AUGUST 27. THEN, AFTER TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING IS HELD, THE DEADLINE TO VOTE ON THE TAX RATE IS UP TO SEVEN DAYS AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO COMMISSIONERS COURT IS SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON THE TAX RATE AT THE SEPTEMBER 10 REGULAR MEETING SO I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE TRUTH AND TAXATION STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS. NOW WE CAN START THE PRESENTATION. SO THE ITEMS WE ARE GOING TO
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DISCUSS TODAY ARE THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATES, THE EXEMPTIONS OFFERED BY ENTITIES, THE HISTORICAL TAX RATES AND REVENUES , SOURCES OF REVENUE AND EXPENSES AND THEN FUTURE FINANCIAL IMPACT. SO SLIDE TWO SHOWS THE PROPOSED TAX RATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 2025-2026 WE DISCUSSED THE NUECES COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICTS WILL FOCUS ON NUECES COUNTY. THE CURRENT TAX RATE IS .265532 AND THAT IS PER $100,000 VALUATION. I WILL REFER TO IT AS 26.55 CENTS JUST SO YOU KNOW. THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE IS 26.9 CENTS, WITH THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE 28.9 CENTS, SO WE ARE PROPOSING INCLUDING THE PROPOSED BUDGET , THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE OF 28.9789 CENTS. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.>> THIS IS A RECAP OF THE EXEMPTIONS OFFERED BY ENTITIES.
AS YOU CAN TELL BY THIS SLIDE , NUECES COUNTY, THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI AND THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT HAVE THE SAME EXEMPTIONS. WHICH IS THE 20% OF YOUR VALUE OR $5000 MINIMUM AND IF YOU'RE OVER 65 YOU GET AN ADDITIONAL 62,500. SO IF YOU'RE DISABLED THE 62,500. AND FOR CORPUS CHRISTI INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT THEIR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IS SET BY STATUTE, I BELIEVE AT THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION THERE WAS 100,000 AND OVER 65 DISABLED ARE 60,000. AND YOU CAN SEE THE $5000 HOMESTEAD WITH THE OVER 65 DISABLED BEING 50,000. OKAY NEXT SLIDE PLEASE THIS SHOWS THE HISTORY OF THE PROPERTY TAX RATE OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS. AS YOU CAN TELL FROM 2010-2011 WE STARTED AT 35.5 CENTS. IT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN GOING DOWN, IN 2024 WE HIT A LOW OF $.24 AND THAT WAS DUE TO AN ANOMALY SITUATION WITH THE VALUATIONS WITH THE INDUSTRY. AND LAST YEAR OR I GUESS THE CURRENT YEAR ACTUALLY THE RATES WENT UP BY $0.02 SO IT IS 28 POINT SIDE CENTS AND WE WILL PROPOSE IN THE 26 BUDGET, 28.9 CENTS SO AN ADDITIONAL $0.02 INCREASE, LOOKING AT THAT WE ARE AT A HISTORIC LOW OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS. SO THIS SLIDE IS A PICTURE OF WHAT JOHNNY WAS JUST SAYING IT PRETTY MUCH MIRRORS NUECES COUNTY AT THE PEAK FROM 2010, 11 AND GOING DOWN. NOW, THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT IS PROPOSING THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE WHERE WE INITIALLY HAD ESTABLISHED THE VOTER APPROVAL RATE AT THE LAST MEETING WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE RATES, BUT THE BOARD DECIDED ON THE NO NEW REVENUE RATE FOR THIS YEAR.
WHICH IS 8.9495 CENTS. OKAY NEXT SLIDE PLEASE THIS IS A COMBINATION OF THE RATES TOGETHER, IT MIRRORS THE NUECES COUNTY HISTORICAL FOR PROPERTY TAX RATES. SO THE TOTAL FOR NUECES COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2526 WE ARE PROPOSING , SO THE NEXT SLIDE, THIS IS THE SLIDE ON SLIDE NINE IS REQUIRED BY HOUSE BILL 1522 AND IT SHOWS THE AVERAGE TAXABLE VALUE LAST YEAR COMPARED TO THIS YEAR SO THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH COLUMN THAT SHOWS THE TAX LEVY, FOR NUECES COUNTY THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER WOULD HAVE PAID $538.81 ON A HOME VALUED AT $202,917.
FOR THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT THEY WOULD'VE PAID $181.08. FOR A TOTAL OF $719.89. NOW PROPOSED 25-26 FOR NUECES COUNTY, THAT AMOUNT WILL GO UP TO $620.39. THAT IS AN INCREASE OF $82.58.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT IT IS ABOUT SEVEN DOLLARS PER MONTH.
FOR THE HOSPITAL DISTRICT THE INCREASE OR THE NEW AMOUNT WOULD BE $191.90 AND THAT INCREASE IS $10.82. FOR A TOTAL OF $93.39.
SO YOU'LL SEE THIS INFORMATION MULTIPLE TIMES, WHEN WE POST THE BUDGET IS GOING TO BE INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA THERE IS AN
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ATTACHMENT AND WE WILL GO OVER THIS AGAIN NEXT WEEK AT THE NEXT BUDGET ADOPTION. AND THE NEXT LIGHT SHOWS THE REQUIRED WORDING FOR STATE STATUTE. AND I'M GOING TO READ IT OUT, THIS IS FOR NUECES COUNTY, THIS TAX RATE WILL RAISE MORE TAXES FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS THAN LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE, THE RATE WILL EFFECTIVELY BE RAISED BY 9.07% AND WILL RAISE TAXES FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS ON $100,000 HOME BY APPROXIMATELY $26.2. THIS AMOUNT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE PREVIOUS LIGHT BECAUSE THE STATUTE REQUIRES $100,000 HOME WHEN THE OTHER HOSPITAL HAS THE AVERAGE HOME VALUE IN YOUR PARTICULAR ENTITY SO THAT'S WHY THESE AMOUNTS ARE LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS THE TAX YEAR BY ENTITY AND KEEP IN MIND THIS IS JUST SHOWING THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI AS THE CITY. WE HAVE FIVE OTHER CITIES IN THE COUNTY, THIS IS JUST THE BIGGEST ONE. THE POINT OF THIS SLIDE IS TO SHOW THAT THE COUNTY TAX RATE IS 12%, A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE TAX BILL THAT TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING AND I DID THE SAME FOR THE OTHERS IT'S PRETTY COMPARABLE , 12%, 15% ONLY ONE CITY HAD 22%. THAT'S JUST SHOWING NUECES COUNTY TAX RATE IS A LOW RATE ON THE TOTAL TAX BILL THAT I TAXPAYER WILL BE PAYING. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. THIS SLIDE SHOWS WHERE MONEY COMES FROM, I KNOW THIS IS KIND OF A COOL SLIDE WITH A DOLLAR BILL BUT YOU CAN SEE FOR NUECES COUNTY , 85% OF REVENUE COMES FROM PROPERTY TAXES THAT IS SIGNIFICANT. SO 2024 WHEN WE HAD THAT INSTANCE IT REALLY PUT A DENT IN THE NUECES COUNTY BUDGET. SO WE ARE LOOKING TO BUILD UP OUR FUND BALANCE, RESERVES TO GET A SET A HEALTHY PLACE AGAIN. THE OTHER HIGH REVENUE SOURCES THAT WOULD SAY WE HAVE INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE AND MOTOR VEHICLES. EVERYTHING IS PRETTY PRETTY SMALL, THE MAJORITY COMES FROM PROPERTY TAXES. THIS ONE IS KIND OF HARD TO READ BUT WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO? THESE ARE EXPENDITURES AND YOU CAN SEE THE MAJORITY GOES TO PERSONNEL COST.SO OUR EMPLOYEES ARE THE NUMBER ONE, 64% OF THE BUDGET IS FOR EMPLOYEE SALARIES. UNDERSTAND THAT'S ONE OF YOUR PRIORITIES, THE JUDGE'S PRIORITIES FOR THE UPCOMING BUDGET YEAR AND YOU WILL SEE ON THE NEXT LIGHT WAS SOME OF THE BUDGET CHALLENGES ARE. THIS WILL GO TO THE NEXT AND LAST SLIDE, THESE ARE ITEMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT WILL BE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL AT NEXT WEEK'S MEETING OF THE CARING AND I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THEM BRIEFLY. ONE THING BEING PROPOSED IS THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES, EXCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE THEY ARE TAKEN CARE OF AND ANOTHER LINE ITEM AND THAT IS $5.1 MILLION FOR ALL COUNTY EMPLOYEES. FOR THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT IS THE ITEM BEING NEGOTIATED, WE DO NOT HAVE A VALUE ANTICIPATING GET TO BE AS MUCH AS $2 MILLION AND NOTHING HAS BEEN AGREED UPON OR DISCUSSED AT THIS POINT. THE NEXT ITEM IS A STATUTORY JUDICIAL INCREASE FOR THE JUDGES AND THIS CAME ABOUT THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THAT COMES OUT TO $292,000. WE ALSO HAVE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET CONTINUANCE PAY AND THAT IS FOR EMPLOYEES AFTER THREE YEARS, 2.5% INCREASE THIS IS A LARGE GROUP THIS YEAR 230 EMPLOYEES AND EIGHT ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THAT TOTALS $362,000. WE ALSO HAVE BUDGETARY INCREASES FROM, DUE TO INFLATION, UTILITIES GOING UP, COPY MACHINE, GASOLINE, PROPERTY INSURANCE.
THAT IS $556,000. WE HAVE INCLUDED ALSO VOTER FOCUSED SYSTEM LICENSE AND MAINTENANCE INCREASE, THIS IS WITH THE TAX ASSESSOR COLLECTOR AND COUNTY CLERK, NEEDED FOR THE ELECTIONS AND IT IS $504,000. AND THAT IS REQUIRED. WE ARE PROPOSING TO INCLUDE VECTOR CONTROL IN THE GENERAL FUND, THAT'S $300,000 BUDGETARY ITEM. ALSO THE PUBLIC DEFENDER OFFICE AND SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO US THAT THE GENERAL FUND LEFT TO PICK UP PART OF THE PROGRAM THIS YEAR AT 270,000. AND FINALLY THE LAST LARGEST INCREASE IS HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM INCREASE ,
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263,000 SO WHEN YOU TOTAL ALL OF THAT UP IT COMES TO $9.8 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE THAT WE NEED TO COME UP WITH. THIS IS MONEY THAT'S NOT ONE-TIME MONEY, THIS HAS TO BE ONGOING MONEY THAT'S WHY WE ARE PROPOSING THIS BE UTILIZED FROMPROPERTY TAXES. >> OVER AND ABOVE WHAT WE
BUDGETED FOR LAST YEAR. >> YES SIR, THAT'S CORRECT. SO, THAT REALLY CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I WANT TO GIVE YOU A HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE PRESENTING AND INCLUDING IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET THAT YOU WILL BE RECEIVING HOPEFULLY BY TOMORROW SO YES WE WILL DISCUSS SEPTEMBER 10 COMMISSIONERS COURT MEETING WILL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AGAIN AND ALSO HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE VOTING ON THE TAX RATE AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, CONSTANCE. I KNOW WE WILL BE GOING OVER THESE IN A LOT MORE DETAIL AND THIS WILL BE POSTED ACCORDINGLY AS THE LAW STATES WE HAVE TO, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, I WOULD MOVE ON. I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE SESSION WE CAN GO TO HEAVEN POSTED ON TODAY. ARE THERE ANY?
>> QUESTION PLEASE. >> I'M SORRY. APOLOGIES FOR BEING LATE. CONSTANCE YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO AND LET'S SEE, PAGE 4 WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO START OR SLIDE FOUR. OKAY. WHAT HAPPENED IN 2023-2024 THAT WE SAW SUCH A LARGE TIP, WAS THAT BECAUSE OUR?
>> I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE INDUSTRY AND APPRAISAL DISPUTES,
YES THAT'S RIGHT. WE DROPPED. >> THAT WAS A REQUIREMENT, BY THE LEGISLATURE, TO INCLUDE THE DISPUTED AMOUNT IN OUR TAX LEVY WHICH AUTOMATICALLY DROPPED OUR TAX BASE SO LOW.
>> THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS EVERYONE ELSE'S TAXES WENT DOWN AND WE WERE NOT GOING TO RECEIVE 100% OF WHAT WAS THE INDUSTRY SO THAT REALLY PUT A DENT IN THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE AND WE DID NOT COLLECT WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD COLLECT. EVERYONE ELSE'S
TAX RATES WENT DOWN AS WELL. >> AT SOME POINT WE DID COLLECT SOME OF THAT BACK SO IF YOU WENT AND REDID THE GRAPH, BASED ON WHAT WE RECEIVED, THERE WOULD NOT BE SUCH A DIP?
>> IF YOU GO TO SLIDE SEVEN, THIS SHOWS ACTUAL PROPERTY TAXES RECEIVED, SO FOR THE YEAR, THAT YEAR WE RECEIVED $102.7 MILLION.
>> THAT REFLECTS WHAT WE ENDED UP RECEIVING?
>> CORRECT. >> I DO WANT TO MAKE ONE CAVEAT, AS WE ARE WORKING TO THE BUDGET THIS YEAR WE ARE GOING TO FISCAL YEAR 24 STARTING WITH THE PROCESS OF CLOSING BOOKS FOR FISCAL 24, THE GOAL IS TO HELP CLOSE BY THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
WE ARE FINDING CORRECTIONS BEING MADE, SO THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE THAT WE ARE PRESENTING TO YOU AT THIS POINT ARE UNAUDITED, SO THEY MAY CHANGE WHEN WE GET THE FINAL AUDIT, I WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT, AS WE COME UPON THINGS WE ARE CORRECTING THINGS. 2024 MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU SEE IN
THIS PRESENTATION? >> HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN
THAT SEAT? >> THIS IS THE THIRD WEEK OR
FOURTH WEEK. NOT VERY LONG. >> YES, GO AHEAD.
>> APPRECIATE THIS PRESENTATION AND I KNOW IT'S HELPFUL TO FOLLOW SIMILAR FORMAT THAT WE HAVE OVER THE YEARS. THE COURT HELPS ME PERSONALLY HOPEFULLY THIS MONITORS , I APPRECIATE YOU MENTIONING AND IDENTIFYING THE CHALLENGES AND THEY ARE CHALLENGES THAT I ALSO FEEL WE CAN INTERCHANGE THAT WITH PRIORITIES. RIGHT? COST OF LIVING IS A PRIORITY TO THIS COURT AND 10% WOULD BE HARD TO FIND ANYONE FOR COST-OF-LIVING NOW GRANTED WE DID NOT DO ANYTHING LAST YEAR. THIS YEAR 10% IS A BIG PRIORITY TO US LAW ENFORCEMENT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING OR THE LAST TWO YEARS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IS A PRIORITY TO GET LAW ENFORCEMENT BETTER PAY, COMPARABLE TO OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE. ALL OF THESE , SOME ARE STATE-MANDATED REQUIREMENTS . THE CONTROLLED BUDGET INCREASES , COST-OF-LIVING IS GOING UP, COST OF MATERIALS GOING UP THAT WE
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HAVE TO DEAL WITH, WE LIVE IN THE REAL WORLD. THE BOATING MAINTENANCE , THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO SUPPORT , WE HAVE CONSTITUTIONAL ELECTION COMING UP AND THE PRIMARIES WILL BE HERE BEFORE WE KNOW IT, VECTOR CONTROL IS ANOTHER PRIORITY WE HAD FUNDED OTHER WAYS, PUBLIC DEFENDER IS ANOTHER PRIORITY. WE WANT THE PROGRAM TO WORK LET'S PROVE IT, LET'S SEE, LET'S GIVE YOU MORE TIME TO SHOW US THOSE NUMBERS AND HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS INCREASE, THAT'S GOING UP FOR EVERYONE.THESE ARE PRIORITIES, CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES THAT THE COURT HAS SAID THESE ARE IMPORTANT TO US, TO OUR EMPLOYEES, TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE PRIDE AND IT MAY NOT BE ALL-INCLUSIVE, BUT IT IS A PRETTY GOOD SHOT AT WHAT IS NEEDED AND WHAT WE FEEL IS IMPORTANT TO US TO SHOW APPRECIATION TO EMPLOYEES AND TO THE WORK WE OWE TO THE CONSTITUENTS OUT THERE.
CHALLENGES, BUT DEFINITELY PRIORITIES.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS, I WILL CHANGE TO PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT MEETING SO IT WILL SAY PRIORITIES AND NOT CHALLENGES.
>> GOOD POINT COMMISSIONER. >> TO EITHER ONE OF YOU HAVE
ANYTHING? >> A COUPLE OF THINGS, A GOOD POINT COMMISSIONER. IT IS A GOOD REPORT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
CLEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY GOING BACK TO NUMBER TWO LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED TAX RATES 25.6, CAN WE IDENTIFY WHAT MIGHT NOT BE A TRUE NUMBER WOULD IT BE LIKE 1.3 MILLION. REVENUES? THE NO-NO REVENUE GIVING THE EFFECTIVE TAX RATE IS ONE TIME A 3.1 MILLION AND APPROVAL OF 11 MILLION. WE CAN IDENTIFY THOSE WITH EACH OTHER
>> EXCELLENT POINT WE WILL ADD IT TO THE POWERPOINT FOR NEXT
WEEK. >> THE OTHER ONE I HAVE ON 13, THIS IS GREAT WHERE THE MONIES ARE, BUT IF I WAS OUTSIDE I WOULD SAY PERSONAL COST. YOU KNOW AS A CIVILIAN , IS THERE ANYWAY WE CAN DRAW THE LINES
>> WE COULD MAYBE PUT THE WORDS, THE LITTLE BOXES HAVE THE COLORS THAT CORRESPONDED AND IT WOULD BE HARD TO SEE BECAUSE THEY ARE SO SMALL, BUT WE CAN PUT THE WORDS.
>> THAT'S A GOOD POINT. >> IF IT'S POSSIBLE I'M JUST SAYING. CLEARING PEOPLE'S MINDS. TO KNOW WHERE THE EXPENSES GO.
>> OKAY THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE. VERY GOOD JOB.
>> TWO GOOD POINTS. >> WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
>> I APPRECIATE IT. >> IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS DO WE HAVE ANY ADJOURNMENTS IN MEMORY OR
ANYTHING? >> CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
>> I WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, IT IS 9:31, SORRY I WAS GOING TO CLOSE THE MEETING. NOW WE WILL CLOSE AND THERE ARE NO ADJOURNMENTS IN MEMORY AND IT IS STILL 9:31 AND WE ARE CLOSING THIS MEETING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.