2022 Burnet County budget, tax rate based on $17.6 billion in property values
The Burnet County Commissioners Court will set a tax rate on Aug. 9 and hold a public hearing on the 2022-23 budget on Aug. 23. Meetings begin at 9 a.m. in the second-floor courtroom of the Burnet County Courthouse, 220 S. Pierce St. in Burnet. Seated at a past meeting are commissioners Jim Luther of Precinct 1, Damon Beierle of Precinct 2, County Judge James Oakley, and commissioners Billy Wall of Precinct 3 and Joe Don Dockery of Precinct 4. Staff photo by Suzanne Freeman
The market value of Burnet County property is $17.6 billion, according to the certified 2022 appraisal roll that was submitted to the Commissioners Court by the Burnet Central Appraisal District on Monday, July 25.
The taxable value is $10.9 billion; the taxable value for property owners over the age of 65 is set at $2.3 billion. Current tax revenue is expected to increase by at least $3 million to $26.3 million versus last year’s revenue of $23.9 million.
County commissioners will use these figures to establish and file a budget by Aug. 15, two weeks later than usual because of a new law approved during the 2023 Texas legislative session. Before the law, budgets had to be filed by July 31.
“These numbers, the certified values, are due by the 25th of July,” Burnet County Judge James Oakley told DailyTrib.com. “It doesn’t give you a whole lot of time to finagle the final numbers because everything has been working an estimate. The intent was to allow a little more time to digest and work with the certified numbers from the appraisal district.”
The official process of setting a budget and tax rate began at the end of the commissioners’ regular meeting June 14. Based on preliminary figures, the tax rate for Burnet County could drop by 5 percent, which is 0.02 cents less per $100 valuation than the current rate of 0.3997. The proposed rate is 0.38 cents per $100 valuation.
“It will be lower by at least 2 cents, maybe more,” Burnet County Auditor Karin Smith said.
Commissioners will set a proposed tax rate during the court’s regular meeting on Aug. 9. A public hearing on the budget will be held during the Aug. 23 Commissioners Court meeting. Although a time has not yet been set, traditionally, the public hearing occurs at 9:30 a.m. The meeting convenes at 9 a.m. The budget and tax rate will be adopted the same day, after the public hearing.