Tarrant County tax rate remains unchanged under proposed budget
Tarrant County commissioners on Monday began discussing a $698.5 million budget for 2021 that would keep the tax rate the same for the third consecutive year.
The proposed rate of 23.4 cents per $100 of assessed property value would cost the owner of a $220,000 home $521. Commissioners are scheduled to vote on the budget Sept. 8.
The proposal is an $18 million increase and includes 25 new positions and 3% merit increases for non-law enforcement positions. The coronavirus recession did not have a big impact because more than 70% of county revenues are property taxes.
The proposed budget recommends that 25 employees be hired across multiple departments. On Monday morning, County Sheriff Bill E. Waybourn asked commissioners for six more employees, double what is included in the proposed budget. He also asked for simulator-based de-escalation training at a cost of about $50,000 a year.
