El Paso County considers $542 million budget and tax increase

The El Paso County Commissioners Court has begun budget hearings for the 2026-27 fiscal year, considering a $542 million general fund budget. The proposed budget may include a property tax increase, using a voter-approved ceiling of $0.504717 per $100 of taxable value.

In a related move, the Commissioners Court narrowly approved a motion to exclude themselves from a proposed 4% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) scheduled for January. While other elected officials and non-uniformed employees are expected to receive the increase if the 2027 budget is approved, commissioners Ricardo Samaniego, Illiana Holguin, and Jackie Butler voted to waive the raise for the Court to demonstrate commitment to cutting expenses.

Commissioners David Stout and Sergio Coronado voted against the exclusion. Stout criticized the move as performative, suggesting that officials should instead propose significant salary reductions to truly impact taxpayer costs.