Keith Self's Blog

Fellow citizens,

The budget process continues. The Commissioners Court will adopt the budget on September 9, and until then, we appreciate your inputs. I have just two points on the budget for you today.

1) The 2.1% "tax increase" legal notice published in the newspaper does NOT apply to your personal taxes. It reflects the overall increase in tax dollars that will be collected by the county from all county taxpayers. Our tax base grew by more than 4%, so a 2.1% overall tax increase means that we have slowed the growth of county government below the rate of tax base increase, and your individual tax burden should decrease due to the new 5% homestead exemption and the proposed tax rate decrease.

2) You may be surprised to learn that the Commissioners Court does NOT control every county department's budget. The District Judges, for example, set the auditor's budget.

The District Judges recently increased the auditor's employees by more than 14% and increased the auditor's budget by more than 11%. By comparison, overall county personnel increased by 3% and the county operating budget will increase by approximately 4% when all adjustments are made before September 9.

Part of this discrepancy may be due to the Commissioners Court new technology initiatives to improve productivity of our current employees, including an initiative to upgrade the auditor's office. Increased employee productivity decreases the need to add as many new employees.

The District Judges' budget meetings are open meetings just like the Commissioners Court, so you can get a transcript of the meeting by contacting Tim Wyatt at 972-548-4673 if you would like to read their deliberations.

Sincerely,
Keith

Citizens,

Collin County recently became the first county in the nation to post our checkbook on-line. You may view the check registers at http://public1.co.collin.tx.us/transparency/default.aspx?RootFolder=%2ftransparency%2fCheck%20Registers%2fCheck%20Registers%202008&View=%7bD87971CB%2d13E8%2d47E6%2d815B%2d70E60096B327%7d

There is also an electronic form that can be filed on-line in order to request the backup documentation for the check register entry that you wish to examine.

Empower Texans, an organization that "exists to create and sustain a system of strong fiscal stewardship within all levels of Texas government" wrote that:

"Not only is Collin County one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, it's now leading the nation in full fiscal transparency. Located north of Dallas and encompassing Plano, McKinney and Frisco, taxpayers there now have unprecedented access to the county's spending in almost real time. The first county in the nation to do so, we'll see if Texas' 253 other counties voluntarily follow suit.... Open to review 24 hours, day and night, taxpayers can check out the payments made to the DISH Network, for example, and see down to the penny how their money is being spent. It's a work in progress, but the website raises the standard for local government around the country.... The fiscally responsible bent of the Collin County commissioners is evident not just in transparency. At a time when school districts, cities and counties elsewhere in the state are threatening tax hikes to cover increased expenses, Collin County taxpayers can look forward to a tax rate cut as well as a larger "homestead" exemption on their residential property."
By MQSullivan, Wed, 08/13/2008
http://www.empowertexans.com/node/639

I appreciate the strong support of the county auditor in this effort.

Sincerely,
Keith

Citizens,

The recent week-long workshop to develop the county budget for next year did a good job of balancing the reality of the current economy with the needs of a fast-growing county.

Unless changes are made to the proposed budget before it is adopted as scheduled on September 9, you will gain both a 5% homestead exemption approved in June AND a 1/4 cent county tax rate decrease. For the average taxpayer, that will reduce your county tax burden in real dollars.

The Commissioners Court committed more dollars to pay down the $111 million future unfunded liability in two retiree programs. That commitment today will reduce the liability burden for future generations in Collin County - your children and grandchildren.

The Commissioners Court also accepted the recommendations of the citizens who served on the Elected Officials' Salary Committee. The citizens demonstrated that they understand current market conditions when they recommended a 3.5% salary increase for elected officials. The court accepted that recommendation; then followed up with salary increases of 3.5% for the vast majority of county employees on pay-for-performance. Both actions took into account the reality of smaller wage increases in the private sector for you, the taxpayer.

Two public hearings are scheduled on the proposed budget, August 26 during daytime hours and September 2 during evening hours. I invite you to attend one of the public hearings.

There are other elements of the budget that I may address as necessary as we continue through the budget process, but this gives you the major points of the proposed budget.

Sincerely,
Keith