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Washington County finance committee hears mixed revenue report, adopts budget timeline
Summary
Treasurer reported a weak month for revenue but higher year‑to‑date tax collections have raised the general fund balance; comptroller and judge outlined a budget timeline with spreadsheets to departments by June 1 and a draft to the court by Aug. 15.
Treasurer Hill told the Washington County Quorum Court Finance & Budget Committee that the county saw a down month for revenue but that recent tax collections have substantially increased the general fund balance.
"Wasn't a great month this month for revenue," Treasurer Hill said, before reporting that the general fund balance shown on the materials was about $14,900,000 but that current tax collections have brought the balance to roughly $22,600,000.
The committee heard a line-by-line summary and asked follow-up questions about specific funds. Hill said property-tax receipts in April were $650,000 compared with $385,000 in April 2024 and that a preliminary look at May showed $7.9 million this year versus $7.5 million last year. He reported the county’s quarter-cent jail tax brought in about $1.3 million and was roughly 7% higher year over year, about $370,000 more.
Why it matters: the revenue picture will shape department requests and the court’s decisions on staffing and capital spending in the coming fiscal year. Comptroller Sherman and the county judge described a budget timeline intended to give justices time to review departmental requests and hold public committee discussion.
Comptroller Sherman said the county will distribute budget spreadsheets to departments by June 1. The judge said departments and elected officials will meet with the judge through June and July; a draft budget will be provided to the court by Aug. 15 to allow committee review in September and a first committee vote in October, with final action possible in December.
Committee members asked clarifying questions during the report. JP Dean and others sought context for school millage discussions raised during the meeting; Treasurer Hill offered a rough estimate that a countywide one‑mill levy would produce in the neighborhood of $5,000,000 (he characterized that as "a little over" $5 million) and said the county’s 4.3 mills for county general fund equates to roughly $22.9 million.
Comptroller Sherman noted some smaller funds will be cleaned up in the next months and said the county is watching the health‑insurance fund closely; the administration is contributing roughly $300,000 per pay period to that fund. Sherman and the judge said departments that require more detailed public discussion should be flagged before the committee meeting that begins formal budget review so those departments can be scheduled to present.
Ending: The committee adopted the meeting agenda at the start of the session. The committee directed staff to circulate the budget spreadsheet and timeline by June 1 and indicated it will schedule presentations from departments flagged by justices for additional review.
