Lubbock County adopts $316M FY27 budget, sets tax rate at 0.322782

Lubbock County Commissioners Court voted 4-1 on Sept. 14 to adopt the countyY27 budget and to set the county tax rate at 0.322782 per $100 of taxable value.

County Auditor Kathy Williams presented the proposed FY27 budget, saying the countyompiled a no-new-revenue approach with targeted priorities including a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for full-time employees, nine new positions, and allocations for public safety, juvenile services and permanent improvements. Williams summarized the package as a $316,000,000 total budget for all funds and a $166,000,000 general fund. "The new revenue tax rate is 0.322722. It's what the proposed budget was developed on," she said. The court moved to approve the budget after deliberations and a final roll call.

During the public comment and commissionersomment period members stressed competing priorities: commissioners and the judge highlighted unmet needs in the sheriff's office, jail facilities and IT, while others emphasized fiscal restraint and preserving a low tax burden. Judge Parish called for the vote after remarks and the court approved the budget on a 4-1 tally. The same meeting also adopted the county tax rate at 0.322782 per $100 (0.290112 for maintenance & operations; 0.032670 for debt service), again passing 4-1.

The budget document, including fund-by-fund details and the no-new-revenue calculations, is available on the county website; county staff said the package includes uses of fund balance for specified capital projects and incremental increases in certain special funds.