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Commissioners set proposed tax rate at $0.53, discuss $1.25 raise and constable pay request
Summary
In a budget workshop the court set a proposed tax rate of $0.53 and signaled support for a $1.25 across-the-board pay increase in the proposed budget; members also discussed a separate Constable Precinct 2 pay increase and options to create a capital projects fund for future projects such as a new jail.
Hutchinson County commissioners voted to set the proposed 2025–26 tax rate at 53 cents per $100 valuation and continued a budget workshop that included a discussion of employee pay, constable compensation and a multi-year capital plan. County Auditor Alicia walked the court through the tax-rate worksheet and explained the county’s “no new revenue” rate. Commissioners agreed to leave the proposed rate at the current 0.53, a figure the court typically uses as a starting point for public notices. In a separate budget discussion commissioners indicated support for a $1.25 pay increase. The court discussed how that figure relates to inflation and county costs; commissioners and staff noted that health insurance increases are already being absorbed by the county and factored into budget calculations. The record shows a consensus to use $1.25 as a planning figure for the proposed budget; the judge (as budget officer) will include the figure in the proposed budget documents to be published for the required public notice period. The constable for Precinct 2 (Angelica) presented a request for higher compensation, citing law-enforcement duties and documentable service hours. Workshop discussion produced a working compromise: commissioners signaled they would include a $5,000 increase for Constable Precinct 2 in the proposed budget for the court to consider formally at a future meeting. Commissioners stressed this was a proposed-budget placement rather than a final appropriation and that elected offices present salary proposals for final adoption. Commissioners also discussed establishing a capital projects fund and beginning long-range planning for a possible jail or law-enforcement center. The court asked staff to sketch a 10-year capital plan so the county can set aside recurring amounts to reduce future bond or financing needs. The court noted legal posting requirements and deadlines: the proposed tax rate must be posted within statutory timeframes and published before the public hearing; staff said the clerk needs the materials this week to meet publication deadlines.
