Austin couple realizes they are not the owners of their house after committing fraud
In May, someone filed a fraudulent deed claiming ownership of Greg and Jennifer Thompson’s home. For months, the couple have been trying to prove their ownership to the courts, the clerk and the assessor’s office.
Williamson County Commissioners on Tuesday approved a $635.1 million budget that would raise taxes for the average property tax-exempt homeowner by about $189 a year.
The approved budget provides funding for 49 new full-time positions and the conversion of three part-time positions. The new positions include four death investigators to assist justices of the peace.
“This is the first step toward creating a coroner’s office and a historic day for Williamson County,” said a statement from the county’s four justices of the peace. “This is a win for the public as our judges will now return to the courtroom to hear cases and hire qualified investigators to investigate deaths across the county.”
Justices of the peace are concerned that the time they need to investigate a rising number of deaths in the growing county is reducing the time they can spend in the courtroom on legal cases, including evictions. The county does not have a coroner’s office to handle death investigations.
Taxes have increased, According to district officials, Because the property tax rate has increased by about 6%, the average taxable value of a home with property tax exemption has increased by about 7.5%, and the budget has increased by about 13.4%.
Part of the budget increase is due to the county’s plan to buy an $18 million building on 28 acres of land from the Texas Department of Public Safety for future development, said County Judge Bill Gravell. Commissioners had previously discussed using the site for a radio tower as well as a backup emergency operations center. The property, at 9500 Lake Creek Blvd., is in a part of Austin that is in Williamson County.
Gravell said the property is priced at about $12 per square foot, a price too good for the county to ignore. “This is literally like a $500,000 house that can probably be had for less than half the price,” Gravell said. The DPS used the site to test aggregates, officials said.
More: Williamson County justices of the peace say a coroner is needed because of the number of deaths
According to county figures, the county’s total budget increased from $560.1 million last year to $635.1 million this year.
“Williamson County continues to be one of the fastest growing counties in the country,” said Ashlie Holladay, the county’s budget officer. “This budget provides critical services and lays the foundation for our county’s future growth. In accordance with our strategic plan, there is money for a master plan for the county’s justice center and jail.”
The county is trying to decide whether to build a new justice center and jail or expand it. The budget includes $400,000 for a master plan study of options.
More: Taxes rise by $165 for average homeowner in Williamson County; lawmakers criticize budget
The county is also still struggling with supply chain issues, with more than $6 million in equipment purchases not being received last fiscal year, Holladay said.
The budget includes:
- A 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment for civilian employees totaling $3.3 million.
- A 3 percent cost of living adjustment for law enforcement totaling $1.5 million.
- Step increases for police and correctional officers total $948,000.
- A 3% benefit increase for civilian employees totaling $3.3 million.
- $12 million for the long-term transportation plan.
- $20 million to repay debt early.
- $16.9 million for capital improvement projects.
- $549,000 for park management projects and maintenance.
- $4.4 million for improvements and maintenance of county facilities.
- Salaries and benefits for 52 new employees totaling $5.9 million.
The new staff includes four deputy sheriffs, two felony prosecutors in the state attorney’s office, an appellate attorney in the state attorney’s office, two emergency medical technicians and six adoption specialists in animal welfare.
The $549,000 for park projects includes money to widen the cricket tracks at Southwest Williamson County Regional Park, funds for two new grandstands and money to repair the parking lot at the Williamson County Exposition Center. The budget also includes $385,000 for replacing Tasers and $350,000 for body-worn cameras.
County commissioners will decide in October which projects the $16.9 million modernization budget will be spent on, Holladay said. The budget also includes an additional $4.4 million for capital improvement projects or the long-range transportation plan, which will be determined at a later date.
In numbers
Williamson County approved budget: $635.1 million, 13.4% more than last year’s approved budget of $560.1 million. The city justifies this with the increased demands due to population growth and plans for future development, which include an $18 million land purchase.
Tax rate: 39.9 cents per $100 of valuation. That’s an increase of 2.2 cents from the previous year. The effective tax rate, the rate that will be collected on existing property for the same amount as the previous year, is 35.6 cents per $100 of valuation.
Conclusion: The county portion of the tax bill is $1,557 for the owner of a home with an average taxable value of $390,283 after a property tax exemption. That’s an increase of $189 over last year’s tax bill for the owner of a home with an average taxable value of $362,872 after a property tax exemption.
