County approves tax rate, budget after seven hours of deliberation

After more than seven hours of deliberation on the Jack County tax rate and how to keep from increasing taxes on the public, commissioners approved the initial budget given to them last Monday, Aug. 23.

The budget was approved 3-2 with Precinct 1 Commissioner Gary Oliver and Precinct 4 Commissioner Terry Ward voting against. Precinct 2 Commissioner Darren Francis and Precinct 3 Commissioner Henry Birdwell both voted in favor.

“I presented the budget, I need to stand by it,” Jack County Judge Keith Umphress said when casting the deciding vote.

The county had recently proposed a tax rate of $0.58000. The adopted tax rate of $0.54378 per $100 valuation, up nearly two cents from last year’s rate of $0.52439, was approved by a 4-1 vote, with Oliver the only commissioner voting against.

With property valuation up and mineral valuation down this year as opposed to last year, this year’s budget, which goes into effect Oct. 1, will raise more property taxes by $391,562. Revenue raised from new property added to the tax roll is $53,164.28.

For the full story, see the Wednesday, Sept. 9, edition of the Jacksboro Herald-Gazette.