Will Record Inflation Cause Tom Green County Elected Officials to Get a Raise?

SAN ANGELO – Tom Green County Commissioners are in the midst of the annual budget process allocating property taxpayer money and other revenue sources for criminal justice, road maintenance, official records, libraries and parks, and of course, salaries for County employees and elected officials.

During their regular meeting Tuesday, Commissioners will consider proposing any increases to Elected Official's salaries and other compensations for FY2023 for publication.  

There are 27 elected officials in Tom Green County including the County Judge, Commissioners, District Judges, Court-at-law Judges, District Attorneys, County Attorney, Sheriff, Justices of the Peace, Constables, County Clerk, District Clerk, Treasurer, and Tax Assessor. All of them are elected to four year terms and the Commissioners Court sets their salaries and compensation each summer during the budget process according to state law.  

Texas Local Government Code Chapter 152 directs Commissioners Courts in setting salaries and compensation for elected officials.  The court must give written notice of the proposed salary to each elected official before filing the budget with the County Clerk.  

Elected officials then have the opportunity to accept or grieve that salary.  In 2021, three of the four Tom Green County Constables grieved their proposed salaries and were awarded a 10% raise by a salary grievance committee.

The annual budget process for taxing entities like counties, cities and school districts comes amid a year where record inflation of 9.1% has hit taxpayers hard.  This high an inflation rate hasn't been seen in 40 years.  The cost of fuel, food, utilities, transportation, etc. affect everyone including local governments which have to pay more for those items just like citizens.  

The Tom Green County Commissioners Court meets in regular session at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday morning in the Commissioners Courtroom on the second floor of the Keyes Building downtown.  That court hearing is open to the public.