County adopts budget, tax rate increase

Jack County commissioners approved the proposed tax rate increase and final budget for fiscal year 2025-2026, taking effect Oct. 1.

The court adopted a property tax rate increase Monday, Aug. 25 following a public hearing, setting the rate at $0.442043 per $100 valuation. 

The court also made changes to the proposed budget before adopting it Monday. The FY 2025-2026 budget will raise $242,170.72 more in property tax revenue, an increase of 3.49%. Revenue from new property added to the tax roll this year was calculated at $24,127.

The county provided extra funding to local organizations, including a total of $20,000 to the Gladys Ritchie Johnson Library in Jacksboro and $10,000 to the Wise Hope Crisis Center of Jack County. The court also fulfilled a request for $16,000 from the Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas. Altogether, the county designated $107,800 to local organizations, and Commissioner Gary Oliver would go on record to say the county gave away too much money in the budget. 

To fund those expenses without reaching into the reserve fund, County Judge Keith Umphress said savings from the new county health insurance plan and increased revenue potential from the justice of the peace office should cover those costs.

The county also made cuts in other areas of the budget to make up the shortfall, including at the district attorney’s office.

The district attorney professional services budget line was reduced, with commissioners saying they were uncomfortable with giving the amount requested.

Commissioner Henry Birdwell, Jr. questioned whether additional funds in the district attorney’s budget would be used in a way that was beneficial to Jack County. He addressed a rumor from a “reliable source” that suggested the money budgeted to the DA’s office would not be spent on professional services as intended.

Birdwell said if the county sent a check with a lump sum payment to Wise County, he was concerned about accountability—where the money was going and what it was being used for.

“I’m not comfortable giving $58,000 to Wise County and they reallocate and move money around to do something they want to do in their county when we have people in our county asking for things,” Birdwell said. 

Oliver also didn’t like the number, adding he also had a distaste for the Wise-Jack County juvenile probation program that received $160,000 each fiscal year.

“We’re prioritizing sending Wise County money when we don’t even have a maintenance man for this courthouse,” Oliver said.
The county removed the DA’s requested increase from the budget for a net gain of $52,192. Those funds would be reallocated to help cover increased support to community organizations. 

Also up for debate was the budget for animal control paid to the city of Jacksboro each fiscal year. 

The county paid $30,000 annually for animal control services and commissioners questioned the expense, saying they did not think the county got its money’s worth.

Umphress said Wednesday the court documented zero response from animal control during the last fiscal period and could save on expenses by partnering with Live Oak Vet Clinic on an as needed basis.

Commissioner Terry Ward suggested cutting the budget by half under the proposed budget then removing the expense completely during the next budget cycle while Commissioner Amy Salazar said—thinking of the county’s bottom line—it should be removed now. 

Birdwell said he did not support removing the animal control expense from the budget now, and wanted the county and city to have a conversation before taking any action. He would, however, support the budget as a whole.

“You work through the differences and you come to a consensus that you’re going to support the budget, whether you agree with it 100% or not,” Birdwell said.

With the majority from the court, the expense for animal control was removed from the adopted budget. 
Overall commissioners were comfortable with the budget moving into the next fiscal year.

“At the end of the day you agree that a budget is a meeting of the minds and it’s something we can all live with,” Umphress said. “I think as a whole this is our least controversial budget we’ve been able to put together.”