By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
County commissioners court members have voted to keep the county property tax rate the
same.
The court voted unanimously to leave the county tax rate at $0.4977 per $100 of property
value for Fiscal Year 2025-2026.
Commissioners court members considered several agenda items regarding the county
property tax rate during Wednesday’s August regular term meeting.
County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. told the court, “In the (proposed county) budget that
we’re fixing to file on Friday. . . the proposed tax rate is the same tax rate that we had in
(Fiscal Year) 2024-2025. The 2025-2026 proposed tax rate would be the same. . .
$0.4977. Out of that, our road and bridge (tax rate) is $.0178, which would leave our
M&O, which is basically, in simple man language, our general fund and our interest and
sinking, it would be $0.4799.”
Owens then said, “I’m going to read a little deal here that I was given: ‘This budget will
raise more revenue from property taxes than last year’s budget by an amount of
$876,589.00, which is a 4.54 percent increase from last year’s budget.’”
The county judge then added, “Our tax rate will be $0.4977 (per $100 of property value).
Our road and bridge fund (tax) will be $0.0178, and the rest of that tax rate, the $0.4799,
is basically for interest and sinking and our general fund tax rate.”
Owens then asked if there were anything else he needed to say in presenting the proposed
tax rate.
County Auditor Matt Weingardt noted that the “no new revenue” tax rate is $0.4711, and
the voter approval tax rate, which could be levied without having to go to a rollback
election, is $0.5146.
Owens said, “The reason I wanted you to say that is because we are keeping the same tax
rate, and before I have phone calls that you’re raising the taxes anyway because our
values went up, yes, we are. You’re going to pay more in taxes because your (property)
value went up. You’re going to pay more, but the (county) tax rate remains the same.
“If the court wanted to, it could raise the tax rate, compared to what we are now, but
before I present it for a vote, I don’t think anybody here would want to go to the voter
approval rate (of $0.5146). Is that correct?” Owens asked.
Commissioner Pct. 4 Gustavo “Gus” Flores replied, “We’re fine. I mean, we’re good
keeping it the way it is.”
After some discussion of the county’s proposed Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget, Owens
called for a vote on the proposed tax rate.
Commissioner Pct. 2 Juan Carlos Vazquez made the motion to set the county’s proposed
tax rate at $0.4977 per $100 of property value, with Commissioner Pct. 1 Kerr Wardlaw
giving the second. The court then unanimously approved the motion.
In other agenda items dealing with the proposed county property tax rate, the court voted
unanimously to set a date and time for a public hearing on the tax rate. That public hearing will be at 9:15 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 25, during the county’s next regular
meeting.
The court typically meets on Wednesday mornings, but the second regular term meeting
in August will be on Monday, Aug. 25, because some of the commissioners won’t be in
town on Wednesday, Aug. 27.
The court also voted to publish the proposed tax rate on Friday, Aug. 15.
Finally, the court voted to formally adopt the proposed county property tax rate during its
meeting on Sept. 10.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com .
