Commissioners Approve Budget, Decrease in Tax Rate

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court approved a 2013 budget Tuesday that officials say will decrease the tax rate while maintaining the same level of county services for citizens. County Judge Joel Baker, who serves as the county’s budget officer, credits careful financial management, conservative budgeting, and recent signs of economic growth over the past few years for the positive 2013 outlook.

With an anticipated $576,594 in additional revenue to be added to the tax roll this year due to new construction, Baker says the future looks more favorable for county coffers. “The overall picture is strong and enables us to make positive financial decisions this year that impact our employees, our citizens, and overall county management,” said Baker.

The Smith County Appraisal District certified the tax roll with a very slight increase in appraised value from the previous year. According to officials, county efforts to streamline operations also enabled Judge Baker to propose a slight reduction in the tax rate to the effective tax rate for the upcoming year without adversely affecting the quality of services provided to citizens. You can go to http://www.smith-county.com to view the complete budget.