Potter County officials continue to struggle with their 2025 budget. At the latest Commissioners Court meeting on Monday, August 25, debate once again stretched across hours, touching everything from firefighter staffing to law enforcement pay and courthouse repairs. Yet, as in past sessions, the meeting ended without a decision on the tax rate.
For county department heads and employees, that lack of resolution was frustrating. They are caught in the middle as commissioners weigh how to balance the essential demands of public safety with the very real burden on taxpayers. What emerges is a portrait of a county at a financial crossroads, where every decision — or delay — carries long-term consequences.
Sheriff Warns of Staff Losses
One of the most pressing concerns came from Sheriff Brian Thomas, who warned commissioners that his office is already losing employees due to low pay. Competing agencies, he said, are offering significantly higher wages.
"We’re losing people because they can’t pay those people," Thomas told the court. "The county is a service organization … you have to be able to balance the money coming in versus the money going out. If we’re ever hitting the red, we’re not balancing. What I’m telling you this year is we need to get through this year. I need to get these people. If you all decide not to do it, and I lose people, I guarantee you I don’t have certified volunteers coming up ready to fill those positions."
His frustration was clear: deputies and detention officers are leaving for Amarillo and other neighboring agencies where salaries are higher.
"When a top-line sergeant can leave the county and go work for the city and make $10,000 to $12,000 more a year in a lower-level position, something’s wrong," Thomas said.
Union representatives added that these departures cost taxpayers in another way — every time an experienced officer leaves, the county spends tens of thousands of dollars to recruit and train replacements. Retention, they argued, is not just a matter of fairness to employees, but also a matter of fiscal responsibility.
Fire Department’s Request Raises Long-Term Concerns
The fire department became the other major flashpoint of the meeting. Chief Richard Lake urged commissioners to approve six new firefighter positions. The hires, he explained, would move the department closer to full 24-hour coverage and reduce the number of emergency calls that go unanswered.
"In 2019, 41% of calls were dropped. People were dialing 911 and nobody came," Lake said. "We’ve made improvements, but some of our trucks still roll with just two people. That’s not safe."
Lake proposed funding the $458,000 in salaries by redirecting $864,000 previously budgeted for breathing equipment into the county’s general fund. While this plan might cover salaries in the short term, County Auditor Brandon Boston cautioned that such a move could lead to financial strain in the future.
"Just because you’re going to continue to have COLAs and you’re going to have to replace equipment … eventually you will run into an issue," Boston said. "These are the kind of things that really Potter County is going to have to start considering moving forward to ensure we’re not asking ourselves, where are we going to get money to replace this needed equipment?"
Commissioner John Coffee echoed that concern, warning that tapping reserves now would only worsen the situation down the road.
"We’ve got two bottles of water, and they both look full," Coffee said. "But we’re drinking them down at the same rate, and that’s not a good place to be in."
He also suggested the county may already have more employees than it can afford.
"I’ve got a sneaking suspicion we probably have too many people employed in Potter County," Coffee said. "If somebody leaves, somebody retires, and you can do without that person, let’s try to do that. I’m not trying to run anybody off. I’m saying through attrition, that’s how we grow financially."
The Taxpayer Impact
Even as department heads pressed their cases for more resources, commissioners circled back to the question of taxpayers. Last year, they avoided a tax increase by holding the rate steady at $0.58496 per $100 of taxable value. But this year, Boston told them, rising costs and declining interest revenue mean that approach is no longer feasible.
A modest 5% increase would raise the rate to about $0.614, adding roughly $65 per year — or just over $5 per month — to the tax bill for a $200,000 home. For many homeowners, that may not sound like much. But Commissioner Warren Coble pushed back, stressing that even small increases can hit hard for those already living on the edge.
"To the average homeowner, that’s not a huge ask," Coble said. "But to someone on a fixed income, five dollars a month can mean the difference between paying for medicine or not."
Coble spoke from experience, referencing his work with the Hilltop Senior Citizens Association.
"For some people, I’m the only face they see all day," he said. "At Hilltop, we serve 55 people through home delivery, 50 people in-house, and nearly 600 who come through the center. These folks are already choosing between food, medicine and electricity. Even a small increase adds pressure. We can’t ignore that reality."
Still, he acknowledged that commissioners have few choices left.
"A tax increase this year is inevitable," Coble said. "The challenge is making sure it’s fair and that we’re honest with taxpayers about why it’s necessary."
County Judge Nancy Tanner also struck a cautious note, emphasizing that residents’ struggles mirror the county’s own.
"We have people that are hurting. We’re going to have to try to tighten our belt too. The county isn’t immune to the same struggles our citizens face," Tanner said.
No Decision Yet
Despite hours of testimony, data, and appeals, commissioners ended the session without settling on a tax rate or final budget. Instead, they will revisit the issue in work sessions leading up to the next scheduled meeting on September 8.
Coffee, who had warned against overspending earlier, said he supported at least some relief for county employees.
"We’ve got to do something," he said. "It may mean looking harder for cuts, but I think 2% is fair. We have to take care of the people who keep this county running."
At that September meeting, commissioners must make their choice: raise taxes to shore up services and pay, or continue holding the line at the risk of further cuts, staff losses, and strained resources.
Analysis: A County in Tension
The Potter County budget debate illustrates a challenge facing many local governments across Texas and the nation. Inflation, rising service demands, and declining revenues have collided with political and public pressure to keep taxes low. The result is a constant balancing act between funding essential services and protecting vulnerable residents.
For Sheriff Thomas, the equation is simple: without competitive pay, the county cannot maintain adequate staffing to protect residents. For Chief Lake, the stakes are just as high: underfunded fire services mean slower response times and greater risk in emergencies.
But for officials like Coble and Tanner, the reality is equally stark: many residents cannot afford even a few extra dollars a month, and government must reflect that reality.
The deeper problem, as Boston and Coffee both pointed out, is that shifting funds from reserves or equipment budgets only delays the reckoning. Without structural adjustments — either through sustainable revenue increases or long-term reductions in spending — Potter County risks lurching from one budget crisis to the next.
What Happens Next
The coming weeks will determine not only next year’s tax rate but also the long-term trajectory of county services. A vote on September 8 will set the path forward:
If commissioners approve a tax increase, they may stabilize staffing in law enforcement and fire protection, but they risk further backlash from taxpayers.
If they hold the rate steady, they could avoid immediate financial pain for residents but at the cost of losing employees, delaying capital needs, and continuing a cycle of short-term fixes.
Either way, the decision will reverberate far beyond a single fiscal year.
As Coble put it, the challenge now is fairness and honesty — being transparent about why tough choices must be made and how those choices affect every resident, from the sheriff’s deputies on patrol to the seniors stretching their dollars at the Hilltop center.
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