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Van Zandt County plans 3% elected-official pay increase and proposes 42.46¢ tax rate for public hearing
Summary
Commissioners informally agreed to publish a 3% pay increase for elected officials and to propose a 42.46¢ tax rate at the public hearing, while leaving room to adjust employee raises later as budget details are finalized.
County Judge opened a budget workshop and led commissioners through revenue options and payroll scenarios before the body settled on what to advertise for public review.
"Number 2, tax rate, 42.46," the presiding official said while summarizing the two items the court needed to publish for the public hearing. Commissioners also agreed to a 3% salary increase for elected officials, with the judge and several commissioners saying the county could later adjust broader employee raises if revenue permitted.
The judge presented three payroll scenarios: no across‑the‑board increase (with baseline insurance and benefit adjustments), a 3% option estimated at about $710,558, and a 5% option estimated at about $985,644. He explained that publishing the elected‑official salary triggers a statutory notice and grievance timeline and therefore must be set in advance of the formal vote.
The court described the numbers as a proposal to be advertised in the newspaper and to carry into a public hearing; the judge stressed the advertisement can be revised before the final commission vote at the afternoon meeting. No formal vote was recorded in the workshop; the judge said the formal decision would occur at the scheduled public meeting that afternoon.
