Lubbock County taxpayers will be paying more in the coming fiscal year. County commissioners approved a 1.7 cent increase in the property tax rate, from 32.9 cents per $100 valuation to 34.6 cents.
The total county budget commissioners also approved is more than $832,000 more than last year's.
Commissioners say the increase meets public safety needs, adding seven more law enforcement officers to the Sheriff's department, making salaries within the District Attorney's office more competitive, and covering the growing cost of court-appointed attorneys and interpreters.
