BUDGET SEASON
Last week, three of the four working days were spent in budget workshops. According to estimates from the Frio Appraisal District, total property values in Frio decreased.
Frio County will receive approximately $1.3 million less in revenues at the current property tax rate.
By July 30th, the Frio County Judge “shall prepare a budget to cover all proposed expenditures of the county government for the succeeding fiscal year.” The proposed budget will be filed with County Clerk Aaron Ibarra and available for public inspection and comment.
The statutory responsibility granted to the County Judge to take the lead in preparing the budget represents a great deal of power. The budget is more than just tax rates. It is a vision and policy document. And in a year with a significant loss of total property value, the Judge’s priorities will become even more apparent:
● What will the Judge propose to fund or cut?
● Which issues will be discussed and which will never be mentioned?
● Will the Judge’s proposed budget require a property tax rate increase?
By September 30th, “the commissioners court may make any changes in the proposed budget that it considers warranted by the law and required by the interest of the taxpayers.”
The County Judge has scheduled the next budget workshop for July 26.
ROAD & BRIDGE REPORT
Last week’s Road & Bridge efforts focused on trash and limb pickup precinct-wide. The same was true county-wide, where crews also cleaned out several culverts in preparation for the weekend rain, as well as ongoing material hauling. Crews also graded CR4850 (Chido) and did sign maintenance at CR4538 (Divot).
–written by Jose Asuncion, County Commissioner, Pct. 4
UPCOMING EVENTS