Titus County workshop: residents oppose elected-official raises as judge prioritizes employee, sheriff increases

Titus County’s Commissioners Court heard more than a dozen public comments at a budget workshop focused on proposed salary changes and an uncertain revenue outlook.

Residents and several elected officeholders urged the court to avoid raises for elected officials while protecting or increasing pay for county employees and first responders. "I do not understand why commissioners can vote on raises for themselves," read a statement from James Freeman, who asked the court to limit any increases to a modest cost-of-living adjustment. County Clerk Leslie Broman, speaking in person, said she would not seek a personal raise but asked the court to approve a 5% increase for her staff.

Tax Assessor-Collector Melissa Stevens told the court she would rescind a personal raise request and continued to press for employee cost-of-living adjustments, while noting preliminary tax-collection figures were up despite declines in taxable values after state action. "We don’t certify the roll until July 25," Stevens said, and cautioned numbers could change as appraisal protests are settled.

Many public commenters cited local income statistics to argue against large increases for elected officials and to prioritize deputies and firefighters. Kim Haynes told the court the people who pay the bills "deserve to be the first consideration" and urged transparency about who supports equal pay proposals.

Judge Cooper framed the budget challenge around reduced homestead values (noted in the workshop as roughly a $42 million reduction) and the impact of House Bill 9, which county speakers said creates a $125,000 business personal-property exemption that reduces taxable values. Cooper said the county faces structural pressures this year — including an extra pay period cycle (27 payrolls) that staff estimated could add roughly $240,000 — higher health-insurance costs and pending capital needs in the sheriff’s office.

After discussion, Cooper said his recommendation to the commissioners would be to propose no increase for elected officials this year, 3% for most salary employees and a larger increase for sheriff’s department staff (the workshop referenced 5% in staff proposals) to help retain deputies. He told the court he plans to prepare a proposed budget for the August 10 submission deadline.

Speakers also pressed for financial transparency and accountability. Public commenter Dave Ruff urged the court to publish mileage and time records, and called for a forensic audit if the court did not agree to increased transparency. The court did not take a final vote on salary changes at the workshop; the judge and staff will return to the numbers in a proposed budget ahead of formal consideration.

The workshop closed after the court asked speakers to submit their written remarks for the record; a formal proposed budget will be presented at a future meeting.