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Cordele County commissioners take no action on proposed 2025 tax rate after legal, procedural debate
Summary
After an extended discussion about notice requirements and statutory procedures, the Cordele County Commissioners Court voted to take no action on a proposed tax rate for tax year 2025, leaving the county to set the rate later in the budget process.
Cordele County Judge Miller and county commissioners voted to take no action on a proposed tax rate for tax year 2025 during the commissioners court meeting, saying the court needed more clarity on statutory notice and procedural timing before setting a rate.
The court debated whether state law requires a proposed tax rate to be publicly filed before a budget is proposed. County attorney Mister Carruthers pointed the court to provisions of the Texas Tax Code and said, “The 26 0 5 talks about the notice of the hearing for the setting of the tax rate.” Court members discussed related citations, including references the transcript records as sections 26.02 and 26.06(b)(2).
Judge Miller and staff outlined three benchmark figures discussed at the meeting: the no-new-revenue rate of 0.43739 per $100 of valuation, a voter-approval (rollback) rate reported as roughly 0.5321 per $100, and the court’s current tax rate of 0.440824 per $100. Commissioners said they lacked a final proposed budget tied to a specific proposed rate and expressed procedural uncertainty about which must be filed first.
Commissioners ultimately moved and approved a motion to take no action on setting a proposed tax rate at this session; the motion was seconded and carried. During the discussion the court also debated whether a roll-call vote was required for the item; the county clerk, Miss Newton, was asked to call the roll after debate about statutory roll-call requirements.
Why it matters: The decision delays a formal proposed rate that would be used to publish required notices for public hearings and to calculate preliminary revenues for the 2026 fiscal-year budget. Commissioners said they intend to return to the matter at a later meeting once notice timelines and the proposed budget are aligned.
The court did not adopt any tax rate at this meeting; further public notices and hearings will be scheduled consistent with state law before a final rate is adopted.
