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Commission hears departmental budget presentations; assessor reports nearly $4.0 billion taxable value for 2025
Summary
Department heads presented FY2024–25 operating and capital budgets. Assessor Ava Bench reported an estimated taxable value of $3,993,946,242 for the 2025 tax year and net new value of $37,273,550; finance staff reported general fund revenues and overall county revenues ahead of expenditures.
Lea County commissioners heard a series of departmental budget presentations and received a financial report showing revenues ahead of expenditures.
Assessor: Ava Bench presented the assessor’s annual report and said the taxable value for the 2025 tax year (ad valorem and central assessment) is estimated at $3,993,946,242. Bench reported net new taxable value on the roll of $37,273,550 from inspections and new construction, and said the assessor’s property valuation fund request is unchanged at $871,500.
IT and finance: Robert Francis (IT Director) outlined IT findings and plans — including an ITSM help‑desk, virtualization and a proposed disaster‑recovery (WARM) system — and requested staff additions in networking, systems administration and cybersecurity. Finance staff presented a February financial report showing county revenues of about $257.7 million and expenditures of about $132.5 million, with strong performance in property tax collections and gross receipts tax.
Other departments: Presentations covered preservation and digitization of clerk records, public safety and fire department budget items, solid waste authority staffing, community engagement programs, and programmatic changes such as additional election costs for an upcoming cycle.
Next steps: Budget analyst Anthony Dobbs said the process is on schedule and the commission will continue departmental presentations and personnel proposals at the next meeting.
