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El Paso County adopts 2024 tax rate for 2025 tax year amid debate over cuts, reserves and state mandates
Summary
After a long budget discussion and public comments about homeowner impacts, the commissioners court voted to adopt a tax rate equal to the 2024 rate for the 2025 tax year, while commissioners debated non‑mandated programs, fund balance targets and state mandates that drive costs.
El Paso County Commissioners on Aug. 18 voted to adopt the 2024 tax rate for the 2025 tax year after lengthy public hearings and internal debate about the county's finances, unfunded state mandates and which discretionary programs to preserve.
County staff presented an inventory of functions that are not strictly required by statute and estimated annual costs for many discretionary programs. Chief Administrative Officer Betsy Keller and County Operations staff told commissioners that roughly 54% of the county's general fund budget covers statutorily mandated services; another portion supports those mandated services; and about 30% is non‑mandated, strategic or discretionary spending.
Commissioners spent more than an hour discussing where to make cuts if the court sought reductions large enough to avoid raising taxes. Several commissioners said that while discretionary programs (parks, golf course, sports park, digital library and some community services) account for relatively modest portions of the budget, eliminating them would not close the full projected gap. Commissioners noted personnel costs represent the largest share of the general fund and that about two‑thirds of personnel costs are tied to mandated work.
Commissioner Jackie Butler proposed targeting subsidy levels of the golf course, sports park, pools and the digital library as examples of discretionary subsidies that could be reduced; she estimated the combined subsidy for some recreation programs would save roughly $3 million if fully eliminated. Other commissioners warned cutting those quality‑of‑life programs carries social and equity tradeoffs and urged measured solutions. Multiple commissioners emphasized that recent and expected state actions (including Operation Lone Star and new statutes) have imposed large, unbudgeted costs on the county.
The court considered several published tax‑rate options earlier in the meeting, including the no‑new‑revenue rate, a no‑new‑revenue M&O variant, the 2024 rate and the voter‑approval rate. County staff explained the fiscal tradeoffs associated with each option and how much each would restore to the county's reserves and reimburse one‑time transfers used in the current year.
After discussion, the court adopted motions to set the county's maintenance and operations and interest and sinking rates consistent with the 2024 rate (0.458889 per $100 assessed value as read into the record) for the 2025 tax year. The court approved the rate in two procedural motions required under state law: one covering maintenance and operations and a separate motion for interest and sinking. Several commissioners recorded their votes during the roll call.
Why it matters: the tax‑rate choice affects residents's property tax bills as valuations rise; commissioners framed the decision as balancing reserve levels, statutory obligations and preserving key county services while acknowledging limited places to achieve large near‑term savings.
Source: county staff presentation, commissioners' comments and public hearing on Aug. 18 recorded in the court transcript.
