2027 County Budget Analysis & Workshop Audio
This page contains budget analysis and the audio recordings of the Commissioners Court discussions related to the 2027 budget year.
We will be updating this page as the budget progresses so check back for updates.
TL;DR (Too long, didn't read)
Tax rates are way up, tax revenue barely increases and growth in expenses exceeds growth in revenue. It is another proposed max tax year.
It is not too late to make changes to the budget, but time is running out. The 30-day review period has begun and the closer we get to the deadline, the less likely it becomes to make changes.
Now is the time to call your commissioner and the county judge and ask them to make a more conservative budget and adopt a tax rate less than the voter approved max tax rate.
Contact Judge Mueller:
https://newtools.cira.state.tx.us/page/fayette.County.Judge#
Contact your Commissioner:
https://newtools.cira.state.tx.us/page/fayette.Commissioners.Court
Keep scrolling for analysis and audio recordings of the budget workshops.
Official Proposed Budget for 2027
Budget Analysis
Scroll down for 8 hours of audio recordings of the budget workshops.
Listen to the Budget Workshops and Learn
Citizens are usually most concerned with tax increases and government spending. These are also the most important (and stressful) discussions the government holds. If you only listened to the budget discussions each year, you would be so much more informed about not only about your government, but the people who run it.
They discussed the budget for 8 hours this year publicly. If you increase the audio speed by 25% you can listen to all of it in about 6 hours. Or you can listen to the most important discussions (the ones in August) in about 3.5 hours.
I can’t stress this enough. All taxpayers should listen to county officials discuss and debate their own salaries and benefits specifically, and the budget overall in general, at least once (every year would be better). You would be surprised at what you learn about the officials themselves, and about how your government functions.
Tax Rates, Revenue and Increased Spending
The proposed tax rate (the “voter approved” rate) is up over 8% this year. Minerals were devalued significantly (by the state) and a new business personal property tax exemption of $125k has concentrated the tax burden more in property owners and away from minerals owners and business personal property owners.
This year’s budget increases revenues from property taxes by $432k, and $504k of that was from new property! Sales tax was down slightly.
The cost of health insurance for employees went up approximately $400k (I don’t have the actual number, but I know it is close to the new revenue amount).
They are asking for an increase for the retirement pension match from 175% to 200% (if an employee pays $1 into their pension, the county will now match with $2 instead of $1.75). This increase will cost ±$274k for a 4% raise, $253k for a 3% raise, and $232k for a 2% raise. It is roughly equivalent to a 2% increase in pay.
The budget currently proposes a 4% raise (it is not exactly 4% but it is roughly equivalent). The increase in wages and taxes (excluding benefits) is projected to be $570k. 3% would be $428k and 2% would be $285k.
2026 Tax Rate Calculation Worksheet (short version)
Tax Rate Calculation Worksheets At Truth In Taxation
Go here and search your property. Then, look around to find the full-length official tax rate calculation worksheets.
History of Payroll Increases
Payroll increases under Judge Janecka were basically 2% every year. The Weber budgets increased payroll by 0%, 0%, 3% & 5% (8% overall, or 2% per year). The Mueller budgets increased payroll by 5%+*, 5%, 4% and currently proposes 4%.
* In the 2024 budget, while all departments got 5%, EMS got 10-12% and most of the Sheriff’s Office got 14% from taxpayers and 16% from the Senate Bill 22 grant.
I believe the payroll for county employees was behind, and catch-up was needed, but this wage growth far exceeds anything in the private sector during the same period. The salary contest continues. Departments are bickering about the wage disparities between departments. In my opinion, significant adjustments need to be made to some departments, but there must be a long term plan to adjust salaries orderly and fairly while limiting the immediate burden on the taxpayer as much as possible.
But How?
The above expenses alone increase budgeted appropriations by more than $1.2 million this year (this is only a portion of the spending increase). How can the county afford to increase its spending like this with such a small increase in property taxes and without dipping into the reserve fund (deficit spending)?
After studying the budget and asking around, the only conclusion I can come to is that the tax rate from LAST year was so high that is must have created an actual surplus far more than projected. I believe this will be apparent in the overall fund balance in due time.
In the meantime, that excess revenue from last year, which is still revenue this year, makes up the difference. In other words, I believe the reason the county can “afford” these spending increases this year, with the small increase is revenue, is due to over-taxation from LAST year.
It is important to grow the fund balance, but there is a fine line between growing the fund balance in a conservative manner and overtaxing property owners.
The "Voter-Approved" Max Tax Rate & Max Government Growth
In 2019, the state changed the laws related to property taxes and created the “voter approved” rate, which is an automatic ±3.5% increase in the tax rate. Any higher and the county would have to call an election to approve the rate. If the election fails, the county must use the “no new revenue” rate. As a practical matter, the county sees this 3.5% increase as automatic.
The government has been growing as fast as it possibly can for 5 years.
The current procedure for calculating tax rates was established in 2019 for the 2020 tax rate and 2021 budget year. The 2021 and 2022 budgets (Judge Weber) used a rate lower than the voter approved rate (not a max tax increase). The 2023 budget (also Judge Weber) was the first year they used the voter approved rate and increased taxes by the maximum amount. The 2024, 2025 & 2026 budgets (Judge Mueller) also max the tax increase, as does the currently proposed 2027 budget.
This means that since the 2023 budget, including the current proposed budget (5 budget years), government spending has increased (according to budgeted numbers) from $28.77 million in 2023 to $38.09 million in 2027, or ±33%.
With a weak economy and uncertain future, with massive inflation and talk of recession/depression (due to spiking diesel prices and potential for food shortages and famine next year due to lost fertilizer), with the decrease in taxable property value and the burden shifting even more onto property owners, this is a great year NOT to do a max tax increase.
God bless Fayette County
Archive of 2027 County Budget Workshop Audio Recordings
There are no time stamps. Simply click play to hear the audio. Click the 1X button in the player to increase the playback speed. The most recent ones are at the top. If you have limited time, start listening on 8/6 (lengthy and informative, the most substantive workshop). 8/13 is where most of the decisions are made and 8/14 is the final adoption. I have listened to all of them twice.
Commissioners Court Budget Workshop 8/14/2026
In this final budget workshop, the proposed budget is approved. The Court discusses tax department requests, the Chief Appraiser comments on the tax rate, department requests again, Road & Bridge salary caps, pay scales, Road & Bridge extra salaries, County Clerk extra salaries (the salary contest continues), tax rates and much more.
Commissioners Court Budget Workshop 8/13/2026
In this budget workshop, the Court completes most of the budget discussions and makes most its decisions. Frustration with the process is apparent, tensions build and frustration becomes visible. The Court discusses tax rates, the cash balances, the contingency fund, the retirement increase, department requests and more.
Commissioners Court Budget Workshop 8/6/2026
In this budget workshop, the Court discusses specific department requests, Road & Bridge salary policy (must listen), salaries, community assistance, salaries again and elected official salaries. This is the primary and most substantive salary discussion. It was also the longest of the workshops.
Commissioners Court Budget Workshop 7/23/2026
In this budget workshop, the Court discusses salaries, the nature of Road and Bridge employees, the difficulty staffing EMS, community assistance and more.
Commissioners Court Budget Workshop 7/16/2026
In this brief budget workshop, the Court discusses employee and dependent healthcare increases.
Commissioners Court Budget Workshop 7/9/2026
In this budget workshop, the Court discusses community assistance, lacking budgets from 12 departments, salaries, retirement, employee dependent health care increases, a salary survey and more. It was a detailed and pleasant discussion.
Commissioners Court Retirement Benefits Presentations 7/9/2026
In these two agenda items, the Court hears presentations from Tim Krause with TCDRS concerning increasing the retirement match made by the county from 175% to 200%, and from Kim Wilder of Coregridge regarding retirement plan options.
Commissioners Court Budget Workshop 6/25/2026
This is the first significant budget workshop for the 2027 budget year (the first workshop is usually brief, covering general topics like the tax calendar). The main topics are salaries, retirement benefits increase and community assistance.