Budget, salary increases on table for Colorado County officials

COLUMBUS — Discussions about tax rates, the 2024 budget and increasing county staffers’ and leaders’ salaries took center stage at the Aug. 28 Colorado County Commissioners Court meeting.

Commissioners are considering the Fiscal Year 2024 budget, which must be in place by Oct. 1.

In other matters, the court officially recognized Sept. 7-9 and Sept. 14-16 as Colorado County Fair Days.

During the meeting, the commissioners held a public hearing on the proposed budget and tax rate, plus a second hearing on salaries, expenses and allowances of elected officials, with proposed pay hikes on the table.

According to officials, the proposed budget “will raise more total property taxes than last year’s budget by $534,003 or 3.64%, and of that amount, $140,384 is tax revenue to be raised from new property added to the tax roll this year.”

The budget’s details are on file in the County Clerk’s Office at the Colorado County Annex, 318 Spring St., and it also is posted on the county’s website — www.co.colorado.tx.us — under Financial Transparency (Budget) for public viewing.

Discussions are continuing and residents are asked to touch base with their precinct commissioner for more details.

According to documents on file with the county, pay hikes for local officials and civil servants include an annual raise of $1,732 for the county judge, from $69,294 to $71,026; and $1,717 for commissioners, going from $68,664 to $76,831.

Salary increases were also up for consideration for a host of other county positions, from district clerk to constables.

Commissioners also heard about comp-time changes at the Sheriff’s Office, with discussions centered on overtime to deputies and detention guards because of staffing shortages.