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Appraisal district budget proposed

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Albany News

By Melinda L. Lucas

Members of the Shackelford County Appraisal District’s board of directors passed a proposed budget of $387,522 for 2020, an increase of almost four percent from the current budget, during a meeting held June 3.

The budget proposal is being presented this month to all county taxing entities, with plans to adopt it at a 7:30 a.m. meeting on Friday, Aug. 30.

The CAD budget is given to participating taxing entities so that those board and council members can include them as they prepare for the next fiscal year, according to chief appraiser Clayton Snyder.

CAD Budget Changes

The $387,522 preliminary figure approved by CAD board members is $14,461 more than the current budget of $373,061.

Of the proposed number, $382,522 is for expected expenditures, and $5,000 is designated for the litigation contingency fund balance, said Snyder.

In accordance with a recommendation from the auditor, the CAD board proposed two years ago that $5,000 be committed each year to a litigation contingency fund until approximately 20 percent of the annual budget is reached. Funds of $5,000 have been allocated to the committed fund for the last three budget years.

The 2020 proposal is 3.93 percent more than the 2019 budgeted expenses, but when compared to 2018 actual (unaudited) expenditures, it is a 3.14 percent increase, according to Snyder.

The main areas of increased expenses compared to the 2019 budget are postage, debt service, insurance, and retirement. 

The only notable decrease, over $3,000, was the removal of Richard Petree as a consultant. Since Snyder has obtained his certification to be chief appraiser, Petree’s services as interim chief appraiser are no longer required. 

According to Snyder, notable changes in expenditure line items that are not offset in other line items includes a $5,747 (14 percent) hike for employee insurance benefits, as well a $2,399 (10 percent) increase in retirement contributions.

“There have been no changes in these benefit offerings, just increased expense,” said Snyder.

Office expense went up by $4,400, most of which is a $3,750 increase in postage.

“The $9,250 that we budgeted is in line with the actual 2018 postage expense,” said the chief appraiser. “This line item is difficult to forecast one year ahead because the amount of notices needed to be mailed depends on market changes that are unknown at that time.”

He explained that postage and mailing services have climbed some, but the amount of taxpayer correspondence required by state law has also been increased.

The other significant rise was in debt service by almost $4,000.

“This resulted from the server that began failing in 2018 and had to be replaced,” said Snyder. “The board elected to finance the purchase over five years instead of spending a large lump sum of approximately $20,000.”

Salaries are expected to remain about the same for 2020.

Entity Cost Shares

Preliminary budget allocations to taxing entities showed that in 2020, Albany ISD will pay the largest share of CAD expenses – 29.40 percent.

Shackelford County will pay the next largest share – 27.26 percent, followed by Clyde ISD with 22.78 percent.

Shackelford County Hospital District’s portion is 9.47 percent, while the City of Albany will pay 4.53 percent, Moran ISD 4.39 percent, Lueders-Avoca ISD 1.94 percent, and City of Moran 0.23 percent.

When presenting the proposed budget to the CAD board of directors, Snyder included a comparison list of several appraisal districts of similar sizes, using information gathered by the state comptroller on CAD budgets. 

“I put together a list of a dozen or so CADs based on a total budget to total levy ratio,” said the chief appraiser. “I think we compared pretty favorably.”

Snyder also said this week that county tax values have been certified and are being provided to the tax entities this week.

More information about the values will be published next week.

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