Property tax rate of $0.7727 proposed
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Garza County Commissioners Court
By Elizabeth Tanner/The Post Dispatch—
A proposed No-New-Revenue property tax rate of $0.7727, a 17-percent increase, was approved by Precinct 1 Commissioner Jeff Williams during the Aug. 31 commissioners court meeting.
With the proposed tax rate, yearly taxes paid by the average homestead will be $402, a 21-percent increase, considering the average homestead value in Garza County for 2020 is $51,993. The total tax levy on all properties will see an eight-percent increase, totaling $3,798,690.
A second public hearing on the proposed tax rate is set for 9 a.m., September 14.
Because the proposed tax rate is greater than the voter approved tax rate, if Garza County commissioners adopt the proposed tax rate during the next meeting, qualified voters may petition to hold an election on the tax rate. If a majority of the voters reject the proposed tax rate, the tax rate will revert to the voter-approval tax rate of $0.7404.
Additionally, County Judge Lee Norman said there is a $101,000 budget deficit because the wind energy funds and the projected revenue from the Dalby Correctional Facility are down $200,000.
In other county business, salaries for all elected county and precinct officers were approved with an increase in longevity pay of $60 per year per person, Norman said.
The reduce the budget deficit, the Community Recovery Center will have to dismiss the assistant counselor and courthouse security guard Bob Zivec’s schedule will be reduced to 20 hours a week, Precinct 3 Commissioner Ted Brannon said.
The commissioners also approved abandoning and vacating of a portion of alley in the platted town of Burnham. Keith McNeese, property owner, said the building on the road to Lake Allen Henry was converted from a convenience store to living quarters. McNeese requests that the alley be abandoned as he is selling the property which was built on the platted alley. The court approved returning all rights and responsibility to McNeese.
In reports from county offices, Sheriff Terry Morgan announced the jail count is at 82, 45 are county inmates. Emergency Management Coordinator Michael Isbell reported that a fire on the John Cox ranch required four planes to drop fire retardant.
The second public hearing on the proposed tax rate and the next regular meeting is set for Monday, September 14 at 9 a.m.
