First of Two Public Hearings Concerning Proposed Tax Rate

Following a public hearing on Monday, August 23, the Lubbock County Commissioner’s Court took the next step on a proposed tax rate increase that would fund the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office.

The proposed tax rate, which is greater than the no-new-revenue tax rate, would be $0.35999 per $100. All-in-all, it equates to approximately $64 more per year for an average Lubbock homeowner.

It’s said this new tax would generate $5.2 million in extra revenue for the Lubbock County Sheriff's Office. The extra revenue would go to salaries, disparity pay, and to create new positions. If passed, the Sheriff's Office says they will increase starting pay to nearly $50,000, which is around $10,000 less than the proposed budget for the Lubbock Police Department.

If you missed the first hearing, a second public hearing concerning the proposed tax rate will be held at the Lubbock County Courthouse, located at 904 Broadway Street, on Monday, August 30 at 6:00 p.m.

Lubbock County will now hold an election on November 2 in which voters can accept or reject the proposed tax rate. If the proposed tax rate fails at the ballots, the tax rate would revert to the voter-approval rate, which is $0.324942.

Early voting begins on October 18.