County tax increase is called for

Donley County residents are being asked to pay a little more to support a $2.1 million budget for fiscal year 2014.

Commissioners have proposed raising the county’s total tax rate by a little more than three cents from $0.598656 to $0.632279 per $100 valuation. The total county tax levy on a $50,000 home would increase by about $16.8.

The total proposed budget for the coming year is on file with the county clerk’s office and is $74,862 above the current budget

The budget includes three percent raises for county employees and reflects increased health insurance premiums of about 5.3 percent.

The budget eliminates money for a currently unoccupied position in the Donley County Extension Office and shifts those funds to make the Extension secretary a full time position.

Other significant changes in the budget include reducing the outlay for expenses related to a capital murder trial (the Babcock case) from $50,000 to $30,000, increasing the county’s contingency fund from $8,000 to $18,000, and creating a $20,000 Preservation Maintenance Program for planned capital improvements to the Courthouse.

Budget hearings will be held September 13 and 19, and both the tax rate and the budget will be voted on by commissioners on September 23. The proposed county budget is available for public inspection at the County Clerk’s office in the Courthouse Annex and online www.co.donley.tx.us.