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(Photo/Alex Kielar) The Stephens County Commissioner Court will convene Monday morning for a regular meeting that includes a public hearing on the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026, followed by a record vote to adopt that budget and the proposed tax rate.
The Stephens County Commissioner Court will convene Monday morning for a regular meeting that includes a public hearing on the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2026, followed by a record vote to adopt that budget and the proposed tax rate.
The hearing will take place at the Stephens County Courthouse at 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 22. The proposed budget reflects rising costs across several departments, with health insurance and employment expenses among the county’s most pressing challenges.
Chief Appraiser Will Thompson, who presented the initial draft budget in July, noted that insurance costs have continued to climb since the county lost access to the Texas Municipal League pool in 2023. The FY26 budget included $13,719.60 for health insurance–up nearly $1,000 from last year’s allocation.
Thompson also emphasized the importance of retaining skilled staff, citing incremental raises and competitive hourly rates as key strategies to avoid costly turnover.
The proposed budget shows a $261,923.84 increase in general fund expenditures compared to FY25, bringing the total to $5.49 million. However, each of the four precincts is slated for modest reductions in spending, with Precinct 4 seeing the largest decrease at more than $56,000.
Certified tax values for 2026 came in roughly $20 million higher than projected, giving the county an estimated $300,000 in additional revenue. If the proposed tax rate of $0.665387 per $100 of valuation is maintained, the county could move out of deficit territory and end the year with a small surplus.
The budget also accounts for shifting property values, with real estate making up a growing share of the county’s tax base while mineral values continue to decline. Thompson said minerals now represent just 9.2% of total value, down from 60% in 2010.
The meeting is open to the public and anyone wishing to speak during the hearing will get five minutes each, while any other public comments on the regular agenda items will be the normal two minutes.
