Comal County adopts $214 million FY2027 budget with employee pay increases

Comal County Commissioners Court adopted its fiscal year 2027 budget on Sept. 17, approving a $214,025,027 spending plan that the judge and commissioners said preserves services while targeting public-safety and court needs.

The courtf7s package includes a countywide 4% cost-of-living adjustment for employees, a one-time 3% COLA for retirees and a 2% pay adjustment for law-enforcement personnel. Officials said the budget uses $4.8 million in special revenue funds and one-time reserves for capital projects such as jail design, a tax office renovation and a Precinct 4 building, and does not require a change in the baseline tax rate to fund those one-time expenses.

Judge White (presiding) said the budget was developed through a line-by-line review with department heads and the temporary budget administrator and emphasized reliance on special revenues and reserves for one-time costs. "We're proud of the use of reserves," the judge said, noting that the proposed tax rate of 0.305015 reflects a conservative approach amid slower growth.

Commissioners voiced support for the budgetf7s priorities toward employee retention and public safety. Commissioner Webb described the process as a careful, sometimes difficult exercise of trimming and prioritizing; Commissioner Leacotte moved to approve the budget as amended; Commissioner Webb seconded. Under a statutory requirement for a recorded vote, the clerk reported four ayes, zero nays and one absent, and the motion passed.

The court said the budget includes funding requests made by Comal ISD for nine additional school-resource officers and added positions to support new district court operations and the district attorney's office. Officials cautioned that sustaining pay increases in future years may be difficult if taxable growth does not rebound.

The court will publish the adopted budget and the related materials per statutory notice requirements; commissioners said they would continue to monitor expenses and revenue as economic conditions evolve.