Burnet County zeroes in on slimmer budget
The Burnet County Commissioners Court met Aug. 19 to discuss the upcoming county budget and set a hearing to adopt a slim version of the document accompanied by a 3 percent property tax cut. At the podium is Burnet County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Alan Trevino, who argued for more money for more deputies, a request that was ultimately denied. Screenshot of meeting video
The Burnet County Commissioners Court on Aug. 19 approved a slimmer proposed budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, cutting the tax rate and denying requests for more deputies at the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office.
There is still some time for numbers to be adjusted before a Sept. 9 public hearing and potential adoption of the budget, but it is likely to remain close to its current form.
The unanimous decision came after hours of discussion during the court’s regular meeting Tuesday. County Judge Bryan Wilson stuck to his guns on keeping a 3-percent tax cut for property owners and in rejecting Burnet County Sheriff’s Office requests for four new deputies, which would have forced a higher tax rate and added a recurring cost of $250,000 in salaries.
“This budget holds to our conservative principles and the previously adopted tax rate (0.3323 per $100 property valuation) that allows our citizens to have a 3-percent tax decrease,” Wilson said prior to the vote. “I promised that I would put people first. That is a choice that we have to make today.”
BUDGET HEARING SET
An official public hearing and potential adoption of the 2025-26 fiscal year budget is 9:30 a.m. Sept. 9 in the second-floor courtroom of the Burnet County Courthouse, 220 S. Pierce St. in Burnet. Residents may speak during the hearing, but those seeking feedback from court members should make requests, express concerns, and ask questions before the meeting.
The proposed FY 2025-26 budget can be found here. It shows a total proposed tax rate of 0.3323 per $100 property valuation, a significant decrease from the FY 2024-25 rate of 0.3541 per $100 property valuation. While it is an overall tax rate decrease, it would still raise about $1.54 million, or 3.91 percent, more in funds for the county than last year due to rising property values. Last year’s budget raised about $38.11 million for the general fund.
The proposed 2025-26 budget would raise a total of $40.5 million for the general fund to cover about $43.1 million in expenses. The $2.6 million difference would be covered by the county’s fund balance, a pool of surplus money kept for unexpected expenses, emergencies, and to help balance the budget if needed.
BUDGET BATTLE
During the meeting, Burnet County Sheriff Calvin Boyd and Chief Deputy Alan Trevino argued that the Sheriff’s Office needs four new deputies, continuing a discussion that began during a marathon six-hour meeting Aug. 12.
(Learn more about the dueling budgets pitched on Aug. 12 in the DailyTrib.com story “Burnet County in the throes of budget talks.”)
Trevino stated that the average response time for deputies is about 12 minutes and 20 seconds and that the county should have at least 31 patrol officers, according to FBI standards. The county currently has 28 patrol officers.
“You tell me: Do you want to improve on that (call response time) or do you want it to go up?” Trevino asked Wilson.
Judge Wilson noted that the Sheriff’s Office has increased its staff by 34 percent over the past five years and its overall wages have gone up 46.5 percent.
Trevino replied by saying a recent drop in major crimes could be attributed to more funding for the Sheriff’s Office.
“Do we want to continue that trend (of decreasing major crimes)? We’re continuing to grow, but you’re happy to leave us where we are rather than to address the problem that is coming,” he said. “Our population is going to continue to grow.”
Following Trevino’s arguments, Wilson moved for approval of his budget without the four new deputies, maintaining the 3 percent tax rate cut he originally proposed.
The decision was unanimously approved by the other four members of the Commissioners Court. Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle did ask that the judge and Sheriff’s Office sit down with the county auditor between now and the proposed budget adoption day of Sept. 9 to hammer out any disagreements.
“You can prioritize meeting together face to face to get this ironed out, and we don’t have to do it again in court?” he asked.
Wilson and Trevino agreed to the request. The court moved that all county department heads and elected officials should set up meetings with the judge by Aug. 29 if they’d like changes considered to the proposed budget.
GET INVOLVED
Keep up with Burnet County Commissioners Court meetings, budgets, and agendas on the county’s agenda center webpage. Meetings, including the one on Tuesday, can be viewed on the county’s YouTube page.
Residents can attend meetings and offer public comment or contact the members of the Commissioners Court directly with comments, concerns, and questions at:
Burnet County Judge Bryan Wilson
bwilson@burnetcountytexas.org; 512-756-5400
Precinct 1 Commissioner Jim Luther Jr.
jluther@burnetcountytexas.org; 512-715-4112
Precinct 2 Commissioner Damon Beierle
dbeierle@burnetcountytexas.org; 512-715-2611
Precinct 3 Commissioner Chad Collier
ccollier@burnetcountytexas.org; 830-265-0483
Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Don Dockery
jdockery@burnetcountytexas.org; 512-715-2911
The good judge forgot to mention that he almost tripled his department budget at the expense of the poor whom he claims to be helping via reduced taxes. He pretends to care about the public. He added one new employ at a salary of $105,000 (not including benefits) to do work he should be doing himself. He took the deputies away from the public in order to fund his own department increase.
No mention of the deficit spending? Do you know how much deficit spending is in this budget? The appointed, not elected, county judge sure knows a lot of wrong ‘facts’ about everything. Debt & deficit & instant 2.7% raises for all and 2% more soon for almost all. Inflated property values continue the tax and deficit spending cycle. Truth in Taxation ain’t happening in Burnet County.
Why didn’t they mention the raise they are giving themselves again? When they just gave themselves one last year. I would rather have more deputies than them padding their wallets. Funny how the new judge is just like the commissioners. I think we were duped again by our commissioners. They got someone to complete their unbreakable circle as usual. Only the taxpayers will get the shaft again.
Disagree. I believe we do need more deputies because of continued growth, continued wrecks and continued overall problems in the county. They needed them year’s prior and did not get because of disagreements in leadership before. Same song and dance but a different judge.
Saving taxpayers money and a slimmer budget could also include “freezing” all raises to elected officials. They creep up every year. It will soon become a job/office they don’t want to leave based on money and benefits instead of service to the county. Is it a position of service or a job to hold because the money is too good? Lowering the tax rate is good, but values will go up. So that’s a cut even mark for taxpayers unless you get a lower value on your properties than the year before.