[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6144078,"mediaKeyId","5535336-0212344834f5177b685f725a8598b640","parentId",5535336,"title","Budgeters increase elections costs for three upcoming elections; elections department staffing and equipment noted","audioSeconds",2389,"startMs",1624000,"endMs",4013000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5535336-0212344834f5177b685f725a8598b640&start=1624&end=4013","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5535336-0212344834f5177b685f725a8598b640/thumbnail_1624000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6144078/Van-Zandt-County/Texas/Budgeters-increase-elections-costs-for-three-upcoming-elections-elections-department-staffing-and-equipment-noted","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6144078-8a412c1930db9db0600934780e97d2d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1775176775&Signature=faLuxCQ5ZVIL4okUwY-paeiUXp9mNSg-~HaRjerkaisrE~2NfAmud5FGnoNJFY3nCoaTeVvQoPGdt79GmGTyyhIX5hvyvjYxbe1tIoiir7gzJw-AfOs5nwpYW2wI48OFaDJ4wL7~b29q8BTKDrK-L1nkdhhpUchuRy1AXbe3KhXBPNRMbQszAv~A6MSjmmRjbL5CSUlxM4ik1mry-JYUycV1XSRzwwhbeshnlHZtSUEjzSsOKaxW-j6uQmxD5W57q89ejWZgzrNLYgFtbyfhw6O-cGXYsT59kRaooPFBl2pyrAaq2o3GdSs2Cr9~LwJRJ1KkghcHRu39LgalJwQkIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Van Zandt, Texas","date","2025-08-05T05:26:58Z","article","Budget staff told commissioners the elections budget will rise because the county must staff and operate three elections in the coming cycle: a constitutional amendment election later this year, a March primary and any required runoffs in May. Staff estimated about $180,000 for election-worker costs across the cycle and said early voting responsibilities are nearly fully the county's obligation.

Why it matters: election administration requires seasonal staffing, supplies and equipment; because some costs must be paid upfront (even when covered by grants or reimbursements) staff said the budget must show the expense lines to reflect cash flow needs.

Details: staff explained two positions formally moving from the clerk's office to a newly carved-out elections department, and the draft includes additional temporary election-worker payroll for in-person and early voting. Staff also flagged election-equipment purchases and subscriptions (for example, tablets/iPads to be used in voting operations). Staff noted the HAVA grant may cover part or all of certain equipment costs, but said the county must show the expense in the budget because reimbursement may occur after the outlay.

Commissioner questions: commissioners asked whether HAVA or other grants will cover iPads and other purchases and whether costs could be shifted between department budgets or held until grant reimbursements arrive. Staff replied that some grant payments will reimburse the county but that the county frequently must pay vendors up front.

Next steps: staff will include the increased election-worker costs and equipment purchases in the next budget draft and will annotate which expenditures are grant-funded or eligible for reimbursement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Van Zandt County Budget Workshop 8/4/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The budget draft includes increased election-worker costs and equipment spending tied to three expected elections (constitutional amendment election, primary, possible runoffs). Staff said early-voting responsibilities and HAVA grant-funded iPads require upfront budgeting even where grants will reimburse some purchases.","taxTitle","Van Zandt County, Texas","taxId",63777,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6144082,"Road-and-bridge levy falls below 10'cent threshold; general fund transfers required to maintain 10'cent rate",266,714000,980000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5535336-0212344834f5177b685f725a8598b640&start=714&end=980","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5535336-0212344834f5177b685f725a8598b640/thumbnail_714000.jpg","/articles/6144082/Van-Zandt-County/Texas/Road-and-bridge-levy-falls-below-10cent-threshold-general-fund-transfers-required-to-maintain-10cent-rate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6144082-7d9daacdfe2ef9adedadbf1636f31bf1/orig.mp4?Expires=1775176775&Signature=Jn5VDjrO4kYe73L8MNij91oIbMDLRSCY2y7pmZcbbVIHPfCF-EmIacQ2eU3McHebvvgk9TT4rzkd3oq7A0YVj6UmEH0xZvCuCy6Quq9xLHKw7z3hHIn5kogXCi6FG~ezrWX9w9vHmuJ7ukl6HWJTm2aC84WQyPp7Q1TU7EV2no1IzDfr2PXpdA4-O1qoyn8xOHyFIZIBHlhbh4VDiNrgLeKBoBUB2DbiOdj3T2ZMPSQ7ctrhqB2ojgA-0Gnmk6ev4ukiiq3Dw4BRMCL4dII8xwuLTY0uEmP5VZzVS9eDEOqPn254ykPzQ3h3J2HwbUvOsW6rxStxPUTUVI0fRm9~8w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Budget staff told commissioners the road-and-bridge property-tax levy under the no-new-revenue calculation would decline below the statutory 10-cent target and that general-fund transfers will be required to restore the levy to 10 cents per $100 valuation. Staff displayed worksheets showing a small net increase in road revenues under the voter-approved scenario but explained how the shift in assessed values means the county must transfer funds to make the levy whole.

Why it matters: the county sets the road-and-bridge levy at 10 cents but changing assessed values and the formula for the no-new-revenue rate can push the apparent levy below that target. To maintain the 10-cent commitment, staff said they would transfer money from the general fund into the road-and-bridge accounts.

Details in the draft: staff reported no-new-revenue road levy calculations at roughly $5.2 million in collections (after including frozen taxes and delinquency allowance), and the voter-approved projection added roughly another $94,000 in available road revenue. Staff showed the line-item transfers needed to maintain the 10-cent levy and the distribution of the net increase across precincts using the same allocation percentages as the prior year. The presenter listed the estimated net increases by precinct (examples cited in the worksheet: Precinct 1 roughly $177,000, Precinct 2 roughly $180,000, Precinct 3 roughly $210,000, Precinct 4 roughly $181,000), resulting in an aggregate net increase of about $817,000 to road-and-bridge budgets.

Commissioner questions focused on contingency budgets and on whether past contingency or equipment appropriations affected the apparent decreases in some precincts. Staff noted some prior-year contingency amounts and one-time equipment lines explained the changes: for example, Precinct 2’s apparent decrease reflected that last year the precinct carried a roughly $570,000 contingency item that was not budgeted this year.

Next steps: staff will include the required general-fund transfers in the next draft to show cost-neutral ways to preserve the 10-cent road levy and will annotate which precinct lines contain one-time items or contingency.","Staff presented road-and-bridge tax calculations showing the no-new-revenue and voter-approved scenarios and explained that transfers from the general fund will be required to hold the road tax at the statutory 10'cent level; commissioners reviewed precinct allocations and net increases.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6144089,"Commissioners consider raising monthly stipend to volunteer fire departments; compromise set at $900",1106,1828000,2934000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5535336-0212344834f5177b685f725a8598b640&start=1828&end=2934","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5535336-0212344834f5177b685f725a8598b640/thumbnail_1828000.jpg","/articles/6144089/Van-Zandt-County/Texas/Commissioners-consider-raising-monthly-stipend-to-volunteer-fire-departments-compromise-set-at-900","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6144089-1f9025da80102d14dc5162d70e58c6ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1775176775&Signature=GbEJx4A-C-O6yafz91TWFAgP6-bhjOjuueXeTDxsDARt-28h8pY4FxB8I2WHt1OJG-WhdICPj8D~3n7WBRqkY0vi2RPpGu3J44sJ~rHjad3XfCsbbMdKUWcoeepOKEoO8gY9hEhxD2pCc5Qurq1FBIFqfAlcQ8-1wyXvYqJPDAc5vBVkzZKlc8C2wwZ7bPHyAyoVP99IDI9TSly8Pe7D9HK5QSn3TaLoppEvYNseqFsfwWqxE9Oe~QnnNa5iTq9RS61KFuzg2adQyRB7bLGpMtuCGKbCswlYlCRI~sBhc61HCFSKMrIzO3I85sPnJa3ZQlyKXAeElOOlN0saQ2CIXA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The county’s draft budget proposed increasing the monthly payment to volunteer fire departments from $600 (last adjusted in 2012) to $1,200. Commissioners discussed the proposal’s fiscal impact and agreed in the workshop context to move to a compromise increase to $900 per department per month while staff finalizes budget adjustments.

Why it matters: the stipend is the recurring operating support the county provides to volunteer fire departments. The draft showed the full proposed increase would raise that line by a significant amount annually; the compromise reduces the immediate budget impact while increasing support from the 2012 level.

Discussion and numbers: staff said the earlier increase to $600 occurred in 2012 and there has been no change since. The present draft doubled that amount to $1,200; commissioners and the presenter discussed that doubling may be “too big a jump” and proposed alternative increases. One commissioner proposed raising the payment to $900 — an additional $300 per department per month instead of the full doubling — and the court asked staff to reflect a reduced change in the budget draft. Staff also estimated the net effect on the contracts line and how much would need to be trimmed elsewhere to absorb any increase.

Decision and next steps: the court did not pass a formal motion but reached an operational direction to reflect the $900-per-month figure in the next budget draft and to identify where reductions would offset the additional cost. Staff said they would return with exact dollar impacts in the revised worksheet.

Context: the stipend line and other contract lines were discussed alongside many departmental requests and contingency planning as part of the broader budget workshop. No ordinance or contractual change was executed at the meeting; this was a budget drafting decision to be finalized in later sessions.","Budget draft initially doubled the monthly payment to volunteer fire departments from $600 to $1,200; commissioners discussed a smaller increase and agreed in workshop discussion to a $900 monthly payment as a compromise pending final budget adjustments.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6144094,"County budget staff to base next draft on voter-approved tax rate, commissioners agree",2230,267000,2497000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5535336-0212344834f5177b685f725a8598b640&start=267&end=2497","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5535336-0212344834f5177b685f725a8598b640/thumbnail_267000.jpg","/articles/6144094/Van-Zandt-County/Texas/County-budget-staff-to-base-next-draft-on-voter-approved-tax-rate-commissioners-agree","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6144094-44b586815ccb938f4766aa2437c4b160/orig.mp4?Expires=1775176775&Signature=JTOnJHYSDiOnpbeWD69ciSsBDHsXdu3llSiXtK-vRG-BnzNfOhcFyLPYVb~QQnDvvhJkmdrzLKpxXlgN4jpe930ZTBzHk9X5cMHyYArMv1zPKQe0MGqSshYMQrSDSKE4ShvO6NRjbOx6g4LutZ5F4DDCaiWujc7kflOPwgYHu6FvRDIxtCeUrY5G8XAMtZSywTkB2iGLI2GCJmUbG5c5C~I6m4tF2Hg5OwSRyezRVmRUMBY0cjEN2yQ7xzJMnntHq5aJ9p2Nyk-tx7IWa0yfkNMxRpOtHkZcXvnhp05JsSw47E9sMRxkYiXLrQ2TB-D5F0xXFYrWYxDzQIDVcqXivw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County officials said they will prepare budget projections using the “voter-approved” tax-rate scenario rather than the lower “no new revenue” calculation, after a discussion about how that choice affects available revenue and required cuts. The meeting focused on how to present expenses that will be paid from existing banked funds, reimbursements expected after expenditures, and the county’s year-end fund balance.

Why it matters: the tax-rate baseline governs how much recurring revenue the county projects before using reserves, contingency or one-time funds. Choosing the voter-approved rate raises projected general-fund revenue by roughly $1.5 million compared with the no-new-revenue calculation, according to the presenter’s worksheet.

Budget staff outlined three revenue scenarios: a no-new-revenue rate that would produce about $18.0 million for the general fund; a voter-approved rate that would produce roughly $19.2 million; and the current effective rate, near 30 cents per $100 valuation. Staff noted assessed valuation changes, frozen taxes (tax ceilings for certain seniors), and an allowance for delinquency when estimating levy receipts.

Commissioners discussed the composition of the revenue picture. The presenter said some line-item expenditures shown in the draft budget will be paid from money already on deposit (for example ARPA and other restricted funds), producing a timing mismatch between budgeted expenses and the receipts that financed those expenses. Commissioners asked staff to clarify which budgeted expenditures are funded from prior-year receipts or reimbursements, and which are recurring obligations.

The group reviewed projected budget increases including a 3% personnel cost step, planned new positions, and other recurring expense increases. Staff estimated roughly $500,000–$800,000 in expected cost increases across regular accounts and noted the voter-approved rate scenario would cover a significant portion of the new personnel costs.

Several commissioners said they prefer to start budgeting using the voter-approved rate so the court can see the smallest amount of cuts required; others emphasized conservative trimming and asked that contingency and fund-balance assumptions be explicit. Staff also said the county’s audited fund balance was approximately $12 million at the end of the last fiscal year, but that the usable portion and the effect of planned transfers (for example to the Paul Michael building) needed clarification.

The court did not take a formal vote during the workshop. Instead, commissioners reached an operational decision to use the voter-approved rate for the next draft and asked staff to: (1) identify and segregate expenditures that will be paid from existing restricted or one-time funds; (2) show contingency and fund-balance assumptions clearly; and (3) return with revised detail that reflects those clarifications.

Looking ahead: staff said they will meet with the auditor and accounting staff to reconcile transfers and fund accounting under the new software, then present updated numbers at the next workshop. No ordinance or formal tax-rate action was taken at the meeting.","County budget presenters recommended basing the upcoming fiscal-year budget on the voter-approved tax rate rather than the no-new-revenue rate; commissioners discussed fund-balance limits, contingency accounting and potential cuts to cover a roughly $400,000–$600,000 projected shortfall.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Budgeters increase elections costs for three upcoming elections; elections department staffing and equipment noted

Road-and-bridge levy falls below 10'cent threshold; general fund transfers required to maintain 10'cent rate

Commissioners consider raising monthly stipend to volunteer fire departments; compromise set at $900

County budget staff to base next draft on voter-approved tax rate, commissioners agree