Bell County property taxes to rise, partly to fund new county jail staff

BELL COUNTY, Texas (KWTX) – Property taxes in Bell County will be raised by three cents to partially fund 66 new positions at the county jail. The jail is currently being expanded and is scheduled for completion in 2025.

The fiscal year 2024-2025 budget and tax increase for Bell County were adopted by the Bell County Circuit Court on August 26.

Harker Heights resident Scot Arey is not happy about the property tax increase.

“This tax increase in Bell County is something I haven’t seen in years past,” Arey said.

The county jail expansion began in 2022 to address inmate overcrowding. Bell County Public Information Officer James Stafford said the expansion means inmates will not have to be transferred to alternative facilities, potentially saving the county millions of dollars.

“Increasing the number of inmates in our jail was critical for us because we currently spend less than $2 million moving inmates from Bell County to other locations,” Stafford said.

Bell County Commissioner Louie Minor was the only commissioner to vote against the proposed budget and tax increase, saying most taxpayers would not benefit from increasing jail staffing.

“We are not getting any new services anywhere in the county,” Minor said. “Zero. But we are getting a for-profit jail in Bell County.”

Bell County’s Projected Revenues from the Adopted Budget(Bell County)

According to the budget, the county plans to earn $2.6 million from housing inmates at the expanded jail in 2025. Last year, it is expected to generate $125,000 in revenue.

Arey said he doesn’t like the idea of county officials leasing extra space to inmates from other counties in the long term.

“If someone tells me we’re going to have 10, 12, 15 years of overcapacity, I wonder why my tax dollars are being used as venture capital in this new business venture,” Arey said.

County officials don’t know how long the jail’s surplus housing will be rented out, but Stafford is confident it will be a good solution.

“The prison expansion, while certainly costly, is approaching $2 million and rising.”

The new tax rate will go into effect on October 1. Taxes are due by January 31, but residents can pay early and receive a discount.