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Lubbock County Commissioners adopt 0.327425 tax rate after heated budget debate
Summary
After a daylong discussion and a divided vote, Lubbock County Commissioners voted 3–2 to adopt a tax rate of 0.327425 per $100 of taxable value for tax year 2025. Commissioners and staff said the choice balances preserving services and capturing growth-related revenue; opponents said taxpayers cannot afford an increase.
Lubbock County Commissioners Court on Monday voted 3–2 to adopt a tax rate of 0.327425 per $100 of taxable value for tax year 2025, after extended presentations from county staff and a lengthy debate among commissioners about budget shortfalls, employee pay and public-safety funding.
County Auditor Kathy Williams presented preliminary budget calculations showing that adopting the “no new revenue” (NNR) rate would reduce county revenues and leave the county with a significant budget gap. Williams told the court that, as presented, adopting the NNR resulted in a multi‑million dollar decrease from last year’s budget and that departments had already been asked to trim about 10% from requested spending.
The debate split the court. Commissioners in favor of keeping the current rate or adopting the proposed 0.327425 figure said the amount captures growth-related revenue that can pay for road maintenance, law enforcement and efforts to retain staff. One commissioner who supported the rate said adopting the same rate as the current year would cost an average homeowner (on a $210,000 house) about $2.63 annually while preserving roughly $7.5 million in state‑related funding the county would otherwise forfeit.
Opponents framed the choice as an affordability issue for residents. During public comment, resident Jeffrey J. Page told the court, “I just rise in opposition to any tax rate increase.” Another speaker, Diedrich Ward, urged commissioners to weigh basic county needs but also warned against raising taxes on residents.
After several procedural moves — including a failed motion to postpone consideration and a failed amendment proposing a higher rate — the motion to adopt 0.327425 passed on a 3–2 vote. The court did not record individual roll-call votes in the livestream recording; the official minutes will list individual votes.
What it means: County staff said adopting the rate will give the county flexibility to cover rising operational costs, avoid larger reductions to core services and retain employees in some departments. County leaders also said failing to capture growth revenue could put pressure on reserves and credit ratings over time.
Next steps: The tax rate takes effect for tax year 2025 and will be included in the county’s final budget process. Commissioners identified additional budget items for further work, and staff will return with refined figures at upcoming meetings.
