By Scott Mahon
Editor

County Judge Danny Scheel presented his proposed 2009 budget to commissioners court Thursday. Scheel’s proposed budget recommends a 5.6 percent increase over the current budget and includes a tax rate of one penny less than the current tax rate of 31.79 cents per $100 valuation.

But a lower tax rate does not necessarily mean lower county taxes for homeowners. According to the Comal Appraisal District, property values in Comal County grew by 14.4 percent which could mean a higher county tax bill for some homeowners even though the proposed tax rate might be a penny less than the current tax rate.

In fact, Pct. 2 Commission-er Jay Millikin said the proposed budget would not lower a homeowner’s county tax bill.

“Taxes will go up because of increased appraised values,” Millikin said. “We are not lowering taxes, just the tax rate, if we adopt the proposed budget.”

Comal County homeowners get a 20 percent homestead exemption.

A homeowner under age 65 and whose home was appraised at $100,000 last year paid $254 in county taxes.

If the same homeowner’s appraised value increased the maximum of 10 percent this year, then that homeowner would pay $270 in county taxes even if the tax rate is lowered one penny.

Homeowners over age 65 receive an additional exemption of $11,110; however, over 65 homeowners can apply for a ceiling on their property taxes on a homestead.

A petition filed by a group of over 65 homeowners seeks to increase the senior’s exemption to $50,000. Voters will vote on the issue in the November election, Scheel said.

According to the Comal Appraisal District, appraised values increased $1,266,493,064, or 14.4 percent over last year’s certified tax roll of $8,767,248,547.

“Appraisal notices were sent out May 1 to taxpayers,” said Deputy Chief Appraiser Curtis Koehler. “Taxpayers will get their tax bill in October.”

Scheel’s proposed budget of $49,831,875 includes a 6 percent cost-of-living raise for all county employees, including elected officials.

The proposed budget did not include a 16 percent pay increase requested by the Comal County Sheriff’s Office, although CCSO employees will get a 6 percent cost-of-living increase along with other county employees.

However, the county’s four constables would get a 45 percent pay increase under the proposed budget – from $25,700 per year to more than $37,000 per year.

“I wanted to get our constables’ salaries in line with the salary of a starting deputy,” Scheel said. “Our constables don’t work part-time, they work full-time and according to a ranking with 37 other counties in our population group, our constables’ salaries ranked 36th, almost at the bottom of the list.”

The budget for the computer technology department will increase by more than $700,000.

“They asked for over $1 million,” Scheel said.

Three public budget hearings will be held before the budget is officially adopted by commissioners.

Two hearings will be held Aug. 21 and one on Aug. 25.