Brown County has released its proposed budget for the 2024/2025 fiscal year, which begins October 1st.  The new budget totals $34,228,007, an increase of 6.6% over the 2023/2024 budget.  The ad valorum tax rate is proposed to increase to $0.4720 per $100 of valuation, up from the current rate of $0.45223.  According to information provided by the Brown County Appraisal District, the new rate would increase taxes by about $30 on a home with a 2023 average value of $163,119.  Any change to the appraised value of the home, up or down, would affect the final tax levy on the property.

Total salaries for the County in the new fiscal year are proposed to be about $9.872 million, an increase of 8.45% over the 2023/24 budget.  Health insurance costs will also go up to about $4.838 million, an increase of 7.84%.  The salaries of the following elected officials are proposed to increase by 5%:  County Judge; County Clerk; County Treasurer; District Clerk; Justices of the Peace, Precincts 1 ,2, 3, & 4; County Tax Assessor/Collector; District Attorney (County Supplement); County Constables, Precincts 1, 2, 3, & 4; County Commissioners, Precincts 1, 2, 3, & 4.  The salary for the County Attorney is proposed to increase by 11%.  The salary for the County Sheriff is proposed to increase by 13.13%.

Budget totals for various County departments are shown below.  A copy of the budget is available in the County Clerk’s office in the Courthouse, and can also be found on the County’s website: www.browncountytx.gov, then click on Financial Transparency/Budgets.

A public hearing on the budget will be held on September 24 at 9:00 a.m. in the Commissioners Court room.

Budgets by Department

County Clerk:  $527,888 – up 5.85%

Veterans Service Office:  $154,579 – up 4.55%

County Court:  $381,691 – down 13.20%

County Court-at-Law:  $472,166 – up 2.81%

Indigent Defense:  $1,008,500 – up 8.21%

District Court:  $276,412 – up 6.02%

District Clerk:  $576,938 – up 7.51%

Justices of the Peace, Precincts 1, 2, 4, & 4:  $650,532 – up 7.00%

District Attorney:  $997,634 – up 16.39%

County Attorney:  $559,313 – up 7.55%

Elections Office:  $335,898 – 5.15%

County Auditor:  $394,252 – up 6.59%

County Treasurer:  $311,002 – up 7.29%

Tax Assessor/Collector:  $473,755 – up 8.91%

Courthouse:  $287,146 – up 9.75%

County Jail:  $4,105,713 – up 12.87%

Constables, Precincts 1, 2, 3, & 4:  $381,509 – up 5.77%

Sheriff’s Dept.:  $4,207,876 – up 7.76%

Health Department:  $1,136,901 – up 4.64%

Agriculture Extension Office:  $278,042 – up 4.74%

Courthouse Security:  $386,782 – up 10.83%

Precincts 1, 2, 3, & 4:  $1,134,300 – up 4.22%

Road and Flood, Precincts 1, 2, 3, & 4:  $3,471,053 – up 11.16%