Ellis County Proposed Budget submitted

WAXAHACHIE – The Ellis County Proposed Budget was submitted Monday with the County Clerk and can be viewed by interested parties from now until the budget and tax rate are adopted in September.

Public hearings regarding the proposed budget and tax rate will also be held this month regarding the budget and tax rate so for residents with questions, comments, or concerns this is your time to speak up.

The Ellis County budget and tax rate is required to be adopted before the later of September 30 or the 60th date after the date the certified appraisal role is received.

In a letter from Ellis County Judge Todd Little with the 2023 fiscal year proposed budget, he stated there are three priorities for the budget in 2023.

The first priority included eliminating the counties rented facilities and local debt obligations.

The idea mentioned in Little’s introduction letter to the budget referred to a purchase or construction of county-owned facilities, which the letter states will be “more cost-effective in the long term.”

It stated the 2023 fiscal year budget proposes a four-year debt elimination plan with the first major step in that direction being a purchase last year of the First Baptist Administration/Education Building for use as a new administration building.

The second priority stated the budget offers opportunities to improve government services with Road and Bridge Precincts in need of more funding to maintain proper county infrastructure.

Also, the Courts and Administration building are in the budget to be remodeled.

There is also the addition of behavioral health and drug addiction treatment initiatives, and the Juvenile Justice Probation and Detention Program is being enhanced as well as a new Veteran’s Treatment Court in the works.

The third priority focuses on opportunities to utilize the American Rescue Plan Act funding. The idea is to figure out a way to maximize the funds locally in four major focus areas: community recovery, county operations, emergency/public safety, and infrastructure.

The proposed budget will also look at the “multi-year” trend of utilizing a no-new-revenue tax rate.

“Each of these priorities reflects our continued effort to achieve the highest results possible using the revenue entrusted to us by our taxpayers and constituents” Little’s letter stated.