Work begins to build Brazos County budget, new tax rate for 2025

BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas (KBTX) – Budget discussions are starting for Brazos County as commissioners work to discuss possible projects.

Tuesday, leaders met for two hours to take a look at projects the county hopes to prioritize in the next budget. Presenters went over revenue, debt and grants from the past few years plus a wish list for 2025.

Top priorities that will require funding include renovations and maintenance for the Brazos County Expo Center and Brazos County Administration Building. The administration building project includes the build-out of the property which was formerly the BISD administration building located along Texas Ave. Currently, the presentation showed if all priorities are included, the county debt would increase by $2 million.

”We have one more [meeting] next week that will deal with fund balance and personnel then once that is done she will put together a proposed budget there will be a short period of time where everyone gets to look at that and see what it looks like then we’ll get to that final day where we decide on a tax rate and vote for a budget,” he said.

Part of the conversations on Tuesday included shifting funds around for the Brazos County Medical Examiner Office. This is a project that has been discussed for years as leaders work to build and staff the new office. American Rescue Plan Act funds have been allocated for the project, but the new budget proposal will include shifting $1 million from a Broadband budget over to the Medical Examiner Office budget.

Those are also ARPA funds, Peters says they had no plan for the $1 million in the Broadband budget and this way they can get contracts signed by the end of the year and hold onto those funds.

”They have to be under contract by the end of the year and that’s what we’re shooting for right now then we have two years to actually spend them. So, right now we are on track and hopefully, everything will work well and if not then we have to send the money back so having the money spent by the end of 2026 is what the goal is,” he said.

Next Tuesday commissioners will meet again to discuss a possible tax rate. County employees will then begin drafting up a budget.