County Sets Proposed Tax Rate

Election Matters Discussed

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

HOUSTON COUNTY – The Houston County Commissioners Court convened a regular court session on Tuesday morning, Aug. 24, highlighted by budget/tax rate discussions and the approval of election matters for the Nov. 2 election.

Once all agenda items had been taken care of, a budget workshop on the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget was opened.

County Auditor Melissa Jeter informed the court, “This budget was written using a proposed tax rate of $0.53 (per $100 of property valuation), down from $0.532.”

The no-new revenue rate (previously known as the effective tax rate) is $0.517085 per $100 of property valuation. The voter approval rate (previously known as the rollback rate) is $0.537425 and the De minimis rate (new rate that would require voter approval) is $0.549257.

“Within the budget are several new positions,” Jeter continued. “One is an additional jailer, two are for courthouse security, who can be annexed into patrol duty when court is not going on, a Precinct Three equipment operator, part-time/full-time in the auditor’s office and a maintenance supervisor.”

The budget and tax rate are based on Houston County property valuations of $1,624,272,326. Using the $0.53 rate and a collection rate of 98 percent, the county could expect to receive $8,436,470.46.

The tax breakdown shows of this $8,436,470.46, an amount of $6,027,428 would go to the county’s general fund, with $1,293,310.92 going to the road and bridge funds while $1,115,731.18 would go toward the debt service fund. 

Once the budget discussion concluded, the commissioners set the proposed tax rate at $0.53 per $100 of property valuation.    

Prior to the budget/tax discussion, three election matters were approved by the court for the Nov. 2 election.

The first measure concerned the appointment of election judges and alternate judges provided by the County Chair of both the Democrat and Republican Parties.

Elections Administrator Cynthia Lum said, “This is a list provided by both the Republican and Democrat parties. We have gone over the list to ensure they have people where they need to be. Everyone on here is a registered voter of the county and I just need your approval to appoint them.”

The second election matter brought before the court concerned approving Shady Grove Baptist Church as the official polling location for Precinct 11.

Lum explained the current location was in Pennington but added she had heard from voters who expressed a desire to relocate the polling location.

“We don’t get a mass turnout there. I believe the total has been between 15 and 25 each of the last elections I have worked. We did find a new location at Shady Grove at the corner of FM 232 and US Hwy 287 South, separate from the church. They just did a remodel due to water damage. So, with y’all’s approval I would like to make this an official polling station.  

The third election matter concerned issuing an Order of Election for the Nov. 2 Constitutional Amendment Election.

In other matters brought before the court:  

• The commissioners approved the minutes from previous meetings.
• The payment of bills and expenses incurred by the county was approved.
• The Houston County Treasurer’s and Compensatory Reports were received as information by the court.
• The court approved salaries for new and/or transfer employees.
• The commissioners received a report on delinquent taxes from Tab Beall and Meme Thomas with the legal firm of Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins and Mott, LLP.
• The commissioners approved purchasing a software license from Life Check Systems to be used in the jail for inmate cell checks.
• The court gave its approval to upgrade to unlimited jail user licenses for the E-Force jail software. 

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].