Smith County Studying Budget Cuts

TYLER — County Judge Joel Baker is scheduled to present a proposed budget later this week. And it appears as if more cuts will be needed to make ends meet. The county is barely getting by on the current budget, but the new one may have to be over $7 million lighter than the current one. The county commissioners looked over their budget needs Tuesday.

The question is, where will the new cuts come from? KETK-TV reports Judge Baker says they cut every expense possible before they looked at cutting jobs. Now, they’re looking at eliminating part-time and temporary jobs in the county, along with a few full-time positions. Up to 30 jobs could be lost if the court approves. There is also a proposal of tax increase of about $55 a year to the average homeowner. According to Judge Baker, “No one wants a tax increase, but, unfortunately, they still want the services that the county provides.”