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County tentatively schedules tax-rate meeting as state special session delays certified figures
Summary
County commissioners tentatively set dates to finalize the fiscal year tax rate after waiting for appraisal-district certification and potential changes from a state special legislative session on property-tax relief. Staff said vendor updates and a pending special session make final calculations uncertain.
County Commissioners Court tentatively scheduled follow-up budget meetings to set the county tax rate after staff said certified appraisal information and possible state-level changes remain unsettled.
The discussion centered on timing: the appraisal district certification that underpins the tax-rate calculation is not fully integrated into county worksheets, and the county’s software vendor requires time to update and test calculations if the legislature enacts property-tax relief during a special session. Staff said the vendor typically needs at least three business days to implement and test changes before staff can begin entering numbers.
Why it matters: counties must use certified appraisal values and correct calculations when adopting a rate. Commissioners said they want accurate figures before finalizing salaries, departmental budgets and the formal tax-rate publication that triggers notice requirements. The group noted the statutory July 25 date for certain tax-year actions and discussed meeting dates in late June and July to allow time for certified values and any legislative changes to be reflected.
County staff recommended a tentative meeting window in the third week of the month that would allow the auditor’s office and the vendor to finish updates. The court agreed to plan for a Tuesday or Wednesday meeting in that window and to adjust if the Legislature’s special session produces changes that require recalculation.
The court also discussed the timing of a swearing-in ceremony for newly elected officials and how that calendar interacts with budget deadlines; staff said they will provide the auditor’s certified numbers as soon as the appraisal district delivers them and after vendor updates are completed.
Looking ahead, commissioners asked staff to return with revised worksheets and clarified dates once the appraisal district certification and any legislative action are clear.
