Fort Bend County is expecting to collect $2.7 million more in property taxes in 2013 than it did this year without increasing the burden on property owners. According to the budget note by Budget Officer Pamela Gubbels and County Auditor Robert Ed Sturdivant, the county anticipates the increase coming from new property added to the tax roll this year. The increase is a modest 1.42 percent over last year.

The Fort Bend County Drainage District's budget will raise more total property taxes than last year by $286,185, of which $209,059 is tax revenue raised from new property. The county's tax rate will remain unchanged at $0.49976.

"It's the same this year as it has been for the last three or four years," said assessor/collector Patsy Schultz.

The net assessed value of the county is $41.2 billion, up 3.4 percent from 2012. In September, the Fort Bend County Commissioners Court adopted its 2012–13 annual budget of $250 million, which includes a 2.35 percent raise for employees. The tax rate should generate $193 million for the county and $7.5 million for the drainage district. Non-tax revenues are projected to be $41.8 million.

The budget is down slightly from $252 million in 2012 and up from 2011 when the budget was $243.5 million. The general fund is budgeted at $186.4 million, which is down 1.69 percent from 2012 at $189.6 million. Debt service is budgeted for a 15.11 percent increase from $28.1 million in 2012 to $32.4 million in 2013. Most departments are facing funding cuts or only slight increases. The county's library system will see a modest 1.93 percent increase in its operating budget, going from $13 million to $13.27 million.

Fort Bend County Commissioners Court, William B. Travis Building 301 Jackson St., Richmond 281-342-3411 www.fortbendcountygov.com

• Oct. 2, 9, 23, 1 p.m.
• Meetings are on the first, second and fourth Tuesday of the month.