Smith County Budget, Tax Rate Adopted

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court voted unanimously Monday to approve the Fiscal Year 2016 balanced budget and the unchanged tax rate, according to information from the county. Officials say the budget addressed adequate funding for law enforcement and jail operations; improvements to county roads and infrastructure; hiring and retaining qualified, motivated employees; and continued improvements to facilities and technology. The tax rate remains at 33 cents per $100 valuation. There will be an increase of $974,665 in tax revenue added to the tax roll this year due to new construction. The Court also voted unanimously to adopt the FY2016 Salary Plan.

According to officials, highlights of the FY2016 Budget include:

Law Enforcement and Jail Operations – With the completion of the jail project, the budget calls for the addition of 15 detention officers to support the opening of the expanded central jail facility. The Commissioners Court also considered the independent salary study by Segal Waters Consulting Group and made allocations to improve salaries for detention officers and law enforcement officers.

Road and Bridge Projects – The county is focusing its efforts on its road infrastructure by dedicating an additional $2 million from the general fund balance in FY2016 for major road construction and improvement projects. This is the second year for the county to direct additional funds into the road and bridge program. A Citizens Review Committee has been tasked this year with coming up with a 5-Year Capital Improvement Plan to address county road improvements. You can go to http://www.smith-county.com to view a copy of the entire FY2016 Budget.