Kendall County Commissioners approved the 2023 appraisal roll totals with the anticipated tax collection rate and discussed the budget for the 2024 fiscal year during an Aug. 8 budget workshop.
James Hudson, a tax assessor- collector for the county, asked the court to approve the 2023 certified appraisal roll totals and the anticipated collection rate, both set by the Kendall Appraisal District.
Taxable value in the county has gone up 20% since last year, Hudson said, and the new adjusted taxable value is $8,448,485,165. The average homestead value in the county now stands at $497,739.
“A willing buyer and a willing seller create the market price together,” Hudson said. “As market value rises, so do appraisals and property taxes.”
Since last year, the county has seen an increase of $405,005,053 in taxable property value. Hudson said that value includes new businesses, homes and other structures in the county.
The appraisal district certified that Kendall County has collected 96.24% of taxes for 2022. Hudson said the county’s collection rate was a good thing.
“Our economy is very good. People are paying their taxes, and the county is benefiting and has good financial health,” Hudson said.
The commissioners approved the 2023 certified adjusted taxable value of $8,448,485,165 and a certified anticipated collection rate of 97.54% for this year.
The county began 2023 with a $6.9 million budget, which County Judge Shane Stolarczyk said dipped into the county’s reserve fund. That included a $3 million one-time purchase of new air conditioning units for the county jail that were “subject to a lawsuit.”
Excluding the AC units, Stolarczyk said it took $3.9 million to keep the county running.
Stolarczyk also listed some of the county’s 2023 budget accomplishments: an updated salary pay structure for county employees; acquiring buildings and investing in infrastructure; and purchasing county vehicles for this year and again in two years.
Precinct 4 Commissioner Chad Carpenter, suggested cutting off financial support to the county’s public libraries due to complaints from community members that the library contained “predatory” content for children. Carpenter said such content went against his community’s personal conservative values.
“I don’t care politically whether that hurts me or not,” Carpenter said. “I’m for removing our county tax dollars supporting that.”
After several budget workshops, Stolarczyk said the county has been able to cut the budget down to $2.1 million for the 2024 fiscal year. He thinks the budget can be reduced even more through bulk purchases necessary for the county’s administration.
The proposed budget has to be filed by Aug. 15. Within 25 days of the budget being filed, the county has to schedule a public hearing for the proposed budget.
“Even though we made cuts, I think we made some pretty good investments in the county for the long term,” Stolarczyk said.
Commissioners unanimously also approved two fees: the county road and bridge fee, and a child safety fee. Both fees are included in vehicle registration fees for vehicles registered in Kendall County.
The road and bridge fee, $10, goes toward the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges in the county. The child safety fee, $1, helps fund crossing guard programs in the Boerne Independent School District and the Comfort Independent School District.
Hudson asked that the two fees, which have been in place for years, remain the same and in place for 2024.
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