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Budget office: El Paso County has collected about 74% of FY25 revenue through February; officials warn of federal cuts and local tax‑rate impacts
Summary
County budget staff told the commissioner's court on March 17 that estimated FY25 revenue collections through February were about 74% of the annual budget, while expenses were roughly 32.5% expended, and warned of tax‑base impacts from exemptions and federal funding uncertainty.
Gabby Federle of the El Paso County Budget and Finance Department briefed the commissioner's court on March 17 with estimated FY25 numbers through February. Federle said cumulative collections are roughly 74% of the budgeted revenue, February receipts were about $31.27 million and year‑to‑date expenditures were about $32.50 million (approximately 32.46% of budgeted expenses).
Federle and county staff cautioned that some known and pending tax exemptions will affect the county’s no‑new‑revenue tax‑rate calculations. Staff said about 20 businesses had filed under a new child‑care business exemption producing roughly $9 million of taxable value, which staff estimated would translate to an approximate $360,000 decline in revenue unless the court adjusts the no‑new‑revenue rate. Staff also flagged the potential fiscal impact of House Bill 9 (a proposed personal property exemption for small businesses up to $250,000), which county staff said could reduce county taxable collections by an estimated $6–7 million unless offset by a rate adjustment.
Commissioners and staff also discussed broader federal fiscal uncertainty. The court heard an update from the Congresswoman’s office earlier in the meeting about the federal appropriations and budget reconciliation processes; staff and the court cited the continuing resolution and possible cuts to Medicaid and other federal programs as downstream risks to county finances and grant‑funded positions. Commissioner Stout said the county should plan proactively to reassign or absorb employees who may lose federal grant funding: “We need to be proactive in looking at where we can try to re‑situate employees at the county that might be losing their positions,” he said.
Staff said they will return next week in a scheduled FY26 informational session with the county auditor and HR to discuss budget assumptions and potential scenario planning; Federle also noted monthly financial registers will continue and that an interim audited report would be available next week with actual (as opposed to estimated) numbers.
The court received the presentation; no final budget actions were taken at the March 17 meeting.
