Bell County unveils FY2025 budget, proposes combined tax rate of 34.45¢ with public-safety costs and exemptions cited as main drivers

The Bell County Commissioners Court presented a proposed FY2025 budget and opened the first required public hearing on Aug. 21, 2024, proposing a combined county and road/district tax rate of 34.45 cents per $100 valuation. The court said the increase is driven primarily by public‑safety staffing needs related to a jail expansion and by tax exemptions the county cannot reimburse.

The presentation, which the court said is posted in full on the county website, summarized key fiscal drivers. The presenter thanked County Auditor Tina Entripp and staff, said Bell County retains a strong double‑A‑plus bond rating, and estimated county population near 400,000. He listed five factors that affect the tax rate: changes in assessed values, exemptions, sales‑tax revenue, state‑imposed services the county must furnish without full state reimbursement, and operating costs.

The presenter said the appraisal district set 2025 taxable assessed values about 7.94% higher than 2024 and that the certified tax‑roll increase reflects roughly 22% attributable to new construction and 78% from reappraisals. He described the county’s over‑65 and disabled‑veteran/spouse exemptions as substantial: the disabled‑veteran/spouse exemption was cited as growing from 701 claims in its first full year to 'over 15,000' claims today, with an exempted-tax amount the presenter described as more than $14 million and equivalent to roughly 4¢ on the tax rate.

Sales‑tax receipts, the presentation said, remain the county’s second‑largest revenue source;…