KERRVILLE, Texas -- Kerr County commissioners appear to be stuck between a rock and a hard place.

With 95 percent of employees who leave the county's employ searching for higher wages, according to county officials, the commissioners court is proposing an across-the-board 10 percent pay raise for all workers. The problem is some voters may not like how commissioners want to pay for the bump.

"There's never a good time for a tax increase, if that's what has to happen (and) if this increase goes through," said county Judge Pat Tinley. "But the employees are entitled to the same ability to provide for their families as any others here in the community."

Tinley said all county department heads are also committed to slashing their budgets in other areas to make the raise happen, but that the commissioners were looking for more feedback before they proceed with a solution.

"Well, if they have to raise taxes... we have to keep good employees in the county and it may require that," county resident Norman Whitlow said. "No one likes taxes, but it might be necessary."