Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra held a special Commissioners Court meeting on Aug. 3 where he shared his recommended budget of $292,901,584 for the fiscal year of 2022.
Becerra’s proposal takes into consideration solely the needs (not the requests) of each county department. The county budget tax rate has been reduced to .3867, the lowest county tax rate since 1990.
The budget presentation included funding for a mental health facility, which would include a wing dedicated to helping military veterans recover from their time in service. Funding for this part of the mental health facility would come from the federal American Rescue Plan. The budget also includes a public defenders office, county technology updates, 18 new correction officers, 20 new jail operations positions, 30 new patrol vehicles as well as:
Additional leased vehicles

• Sheriff’s office – 25 replacement patrol vehicles and five new patrol vehicles
• Animal control – one new animal control officer (ACO) truck
• Juvenile probation – one new transport vehicle
• Juvenile detention – one new transport vehicle

Capital assets

• $250,000 – planning for mental health /veteran’s services facility (pending American Rescue Plan approval)
• $100,000 – planning for Evacuation/Civic Center Facility (reserves or American Rescue Plan approval)
• $500,000 – architectural planning for new district courtroom (50% reserves/50% Civil Courts Building Fund)

Personnel (includes fringe)

• $918,000 – 20 new positions for expansion of jail operations
• $72,000 – specialty court program for county courts-at-law
• $90,000 – establishment of a budget office
• $600,000 – establishment of a public defender office
• $538,000 – 2% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for employees and department heads, effective January 2022 (excludes elected officials)
• $270,000 – merit-based salary increases for Cleared By Arrest law enforcement positions
• Funding set aside to consider deputy constable positions post-re-districting
• Funding set aside for new district judge and district court reporter, effective September 2022

Citizens can provide feedback on the proposed budget during three upcoming workshops. The workshops will take place at the Hays County Historic Courthouse on Aug. 10 and Aug. 17 at 11 a.m. and Aug. 24 at 1 p.m. After the workshops, the commissioners will vote on the judge’s proposed budget on Aug. 24 and will adopt the final budget on Sept. 21.
“Our goal is to develop a balanced budget that meets the needs of our county and provides adequate levels of service. It’s important to receive public feedback during this process so we can achieve our common goals,” Becerra says.