Court discusses tax rate process
The Lavaca County Commissioners met in a regular meeting Monday morning and discussed the budget process and the related budget issues
The matter was discussed because there is indication that the tax rate may go up this year.
County Judge Keith Mudd said he plans to have the proposed budget and tax rate proposal available for public viewing by Friday, Aug. 1.
“We (county) have until Aug. 15 to post the proposed budget and tax rate, but I hope to have it available on Aug. 1 so the public can look at it,” Mudd said. “Budgeting is a year round affect on Lavaca County and we have already had some budget amendments.”
Mudd listed the amendments that have been made including overhauling the budget regarding the Sheriff ’s office.
“We have made a bunch of changes when Steven Greenwell took over as sheriff on Jan. 6. The changes were made to gear up for the vision of Sheriff Greenwell,” Mudd said. “Not to knock the previous administration of Micah Harmon built the jail and got us here in the last 20 years, but here we go again. The course changes.”
Mudd also said that another area in which the budget was amended involved adding a fourth EMS unit.
“We added the fourth EMS unit because the numbers showed the community needed it,” Mudd said.
In regards to the new budget year Mudd said, “The court has already taken action on a lot of money put into the 25-26 budget and because these decisions have already been made this budget year is going to be pretty tough.”
Mudd said he received the appraisal numbers, which he shared with the commissioners and included the highest and lowest rates that can be adopted.
“The appraisal district faces the same pressures that we do and none of our constituents want us to go up in taxes,” Mudd said. “But yet, we have inflating costs and changes being placed upon the court. And the appraisal district is telling us it’s our turn to go up.”
Mudd said the county taxes has been going down for the past five years, but the county may have to go up on its tax rate.
Commissioner Wayne Faircloth spoke about how the State of Texas is placing pressure on the commissioner courts in setting budgets and tax rates.
“It’s never easy,” Faircloth said. “The local municipalities are being put into a vice and it’s coming from Austin.”
Faircloth said the public needs to understand, the State of Texas generates its tax revenue from sales taxes.
“As a citizen, if you purchase something, you’re a consumer and you’re going to pay the sales tax,” Faircloth said. “But, as a county, we don’t have that luxury of charging a sales tax. We’ve been squeezed and constantly told we cannot impact the tax rate that we are the problem.”
Faircloth added, “County government is the closest thing to the people. If a phone call comes in at 11:30 at night that a tree limb is on the road or animals are out, or the road needs shredding, we are the hands and feet of local government. We get the job done. And yet, the state tells us they have the right to force school districts to recertify their tax rolls every three years and if they don’t the state will cut their funding.”
Commissioner Edward Pustka added to Faircloth’s comments about possibly having to raise taxes by saying, “What the state has told us is we are not raising our taxes high enough and if you (county) don’t raise your taxes, we’re (state) not going to fund you because you’re not taxing at your highest level. So, the county is up against a stump. So, you either raise your taxes so you get more funding and if you don’t, they will cut your funding.”
Mudd said, “The legislature is looking into passing legislation that says commissioner courts can’t fund a lobbyist to speak for county judges or commissioners. They’re trying to keep us from speaking up, but they want to change everything. I have argued with Sen. Kolkhorst and Rep. Louderback until I’m blue in the face.”