By Scott Allen —
Gillespie County Commissioners on Monday approved the 2015-2016 tax rate at 41.47 cents per $100 valuation for its $28.3 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
The tax rate marks an increase of 10.4 percent, or 1.76 cents, with roughly $2.2 million in tax revenue going to pay for jail operating costs and debt on the new 96-bed facility, which voters approved in 2013.
This year’s tax rate rose from 39.71 cents in last year’s budget. That includes 37.03 cents for maintenance and operation and another 4.44 cents for debt payments.
The deficit budget includes $28.3 million in expenditures, based on an anticipated $24.9 million in revenue.
Commissioners adopted the proposed budget with an addition of $23,000 to the Gillespie Central Appraisal District budget, and a reduction in anticipated costs for the county’s share of the fire and EMS budget.
“It’s been a long road,” Commissioner Donnie Schuch said of the budget process.
Tourism budget
Property taxes continue to be offset by the rising sales taxes, most of which are paid by visitors. Last year, visitors spent $93 million in Gillespie County.
Ernie Loeffler, executive director of the Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau, spoke about the benefits that the community receives from visitors before the commissioners approved the bureau’s 2016 budget.
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