Commissioners approve county budget, includes pay increase

El Paso County Commissioners Monday unanimously approved a new $426-million County of El Paso budget for fiscal year 2019.

County commissioners actually lowered the tax rate by one cent, from 45 cents to 44 cents per $100 of property valuation. However, property owners will still see an increase because property values increased this year.

Commissioner David Stout was the only one who voted against the tax rate decrease, saying he wanted to keep it at the current rate. Stout says future commissioners will have some tough decisions to make, like possibly increasing the tax rate. “At some point, we have to be realistic with the public and we have to let them know that something is coming in the future, and to help mitigate a larger impact in the future, in my opinion, it’s better to do that incrementally,” he said.

County officials say home values increased by an average of about $5,795. As a result, and even with the approved tax rate decrease, the average home owner will pay about $20 dollars more in property taxes this year.

The budget approved by Commissioners also includes pay increase for county commissioners, constables and the county judge.

Commissioners previously made $90,142.50 a year. After the four percent pay increase in the budget, they’ll make $93,748.20 next year.

The county judge currently makes $103,000 and will get an increase of more than $2,000.

Commissioner Carlos Leon told ABC-7 he tried to fight the pay raises during budget hearings, but was unsuccessful. Leon says that compared to the salaries of El Paso city representatives, county commissioners make enough money. Leon still voted to approve the budget, which included the pay increase.

“The actual premise is very sound and I think it will attract younger professionals to run for office and that’s what we all want, but in my opinion, I think we’re being paid fairly as it is,” said Leon.

Sunday, County Commissioner Andrew Haggerty told ABC-7 that several years ago, the county human resources department recommended that commissioners make 85 percent of market value, but commissioners court instead elected to set a minimum of a 70 percent of market value for commissioners’ salaries. So every year, Haggerty said, all elected officials will get a pay increase so their salary is 70 percent of market value.