The El Paso County Commissioners Court will hold a public hearing for residents to comment on the proposed budget and tax rate.
The public hearing is scheduled on Monday, Aug. 17, at 5:30 p.m. at the commissioners’ court on the third floor of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse. The hearing will allow residents to voice their opposition to and support for the proposed tax rate.
Following the public hearing, the county plans to adopt the tax rate for fiscal year 2026.
The tax rate of $0.504 will be used in preparing next year’s budget, which is the maximum rate the county can use.
The tax rate will likely be lower, as the voter-approved rate gives the county room to negotiate for various needs. The current “No-New-Revenue-Rate,” which is regularly used, is set at $0.451133.
Another public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 14, where the county could adopt the proposed budget. The new budget, if approved by the commissioners, would go into effect on Oct. 1.
County voted for a pay raise for non-uniform officials of the court
El Paso County Commissioner’s Court approved a resolution on Aug. 10 that could mean a pay raise for the county’s elected officials if the budget is approved in the coming weeks.
The County Commissioners voted 3-2 to raise employee pay by 4%, while excluding a pay raise for the commissioners themselves. Commissioners David Stout of Precinct 2 and Sergio Coronado of Precinct 4 voted against the pay raise.
The pay raise is meant to offset the raising cost of living, known as the COLA.
The commissioners intensely debated the pay raise during the Aug. 10 hearing, with Stout and Coronado questioning the decision. Both have voted for pay raises for the commissioners in the past.
Stout and Coronado lost their reelection bid in the March 3 Democratic primaries.
Removing the Commissioners Court pay raises would have an impact of $27,000 on the budget, Carmen Arrieta-Candelaria, the county’s budget director, explained.
Jeff Abbott covers the border for the El Paso Times and can be reached at:jdabbott@usatodayco.com; @palabrasdeabajo on Twitter or @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Residents can weigh in on El Paso County’s proposed tax rate
Reporting by Jeff Abbott, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jeff Abbott, El Paso Times | USA TODAY Network
