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Lubbock County Commissioners approve a pay raise of slightly more than 3% themselves and other elected officeholders.
The vote marks the beginning of the one-week period for any official to contest their proposed salary increase.
Commissioner Patti Jones says that the raise is justified by results from hard work and teamwork through recent tight times.
"These are all full-time employees. They don't have part-time jobs as in other counties that you may see, so I feel like the raise, it's very well worthwhile and again, it's a cost of living raise," says Jones.
Commissioners will vote on giving the same raise amount to county employees on September 13th. Jones says it's the first hike in pay for elected county officeholders in three years and the first for employees in two.
The combined property tax rate would essentially remain the same. The county itself would keep the rate at its current level.
The county hospital district would adopt the effective tax rate, which is fractionally lower than the current rate.
"We do anticipate a pretty significant increase in the unfunded care from Lubbock County. Around a $6 million increase. But we still think based on trying to work on efficiency, making some improvements in the delivery of care. That we can actually still have profits in 2011 Around $5 million even with no tax increase," said David Allison of UMC Health System.
Allison says property tax money comprises about 4% of the county hospital district's $440-million budget.
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