Scurry County proposes 0.62685 tax rate, schedules Sept. 19 public hearing

Scurry County court on an unspecified meeting date voted on the record to propose a tax rate of 0.62685 and set a public hearing for Sept. 19 to solicit public comment.

The proposed rate was presented by Speaker 2 as part of a budget summary showing alternatives: an earlier spreadsheet estimate of 0.6317 that would generate about $20.48 million and a revised calculation that produced the 0.62685 figure (projecting roughly $20.32 million). Speaker 2 said staff must post the proposed rate and that the court may lower the rate later but cannot raise it after publication: "We can always in a week from now, we can always go down, but we cannot go back up," (Speaker 8).

The discussion included whether to include a $150,000 line for a city purchase the city had not yet approved. Speaker 7 opposed raising the county tax rate to fund an uncertain city purchase, arguing the money should instead be drawn from the county reserve (fund '29): "The tax rate needs to go back to what it was before 6317 and 150,000 needs to be out of fund '29," (Speaker 7). Speaker 6 explained that unspent funds roll to the county reserve and that budgeted but unspent amounts remain available in fund accounting.

The court completed the formal step required for tax adoption by taking the record vote on the proposed rate and authorizing the public-notice process. Speaker 2 and staff said the court must finalize adoption by a statutory deadline in early September; the public hearing was set for Sept. 19. The court emphasized it can reduce the rate later if circumstances change but may not increase it once published.

What happens next: the proposed rate will be published and posted as required; a public hearing will be held on Sept. 19, after which the court may adopt a final rate by the statutory deadline.