Lavaca County judge proposes voter-approval tax rate of 0.5497; public hearing set for Aug. 25

County Judge Keith Mudd proposed on Aug. 11 that Lavaca County adopt a total tax rate of 0.5497 — the voter‑approval rate calculated by the appraisal district — and asked the Commissioner's Court to publish that proposed rate and hold a public hearing Aug. 25 at 10 a.m.

Mudd told the court the proposed rate would generate approximately $1,664,971 more in tax revenue than the prior year, driven in part by new construction and growth. He framed the increase as necessary to fund recent changes, including staffing additions in the Sheriff's Office, expanded jail and dispatch positions, countywide road paving and other county services.

Tax Assessor‑Collector Debbie (last name not specified in the record) presented certified appraisal and taxable values, reporting a modest change in overall valuations: appraised values rose about 1.9 percent year‑over‑year, and the county’s taxable value used to calculate levies is $3,895,235,860.

The tax-rate calculations presented to the court included a “no-new-revenue” total rate of 0.5124 (M&O 0.413; Farm‑to‑Market 0.0994) and a voter‑approval total rate of 0.5497 (M&O 0.4464; Farm‑to‑Market 0.1033). Mudd moved to propose the voter‑approval rate (0.5497) for publication and set the required public hearing; the motion was seconded and passed by a unanimous show of hands.

In a prepared “State of the County” address placed into the public record, Mudd listed priorities the proposed revenue would support: bolstering the Sheriff’s Office (new deputies, investigators, jailers and dispatchers), supporting a larger criminal‑justice caseload handled by the newly elected county attorney, continuing joint paving and equipment purchases, expansion or maintenance projects for the courthouse and annex, and sustaining county EMS and Meals on Wheels/Lavaca County Transit services.

Mudd said some reserve funding had been used for paving and telecommunications lease payments and warned that reserves will remain stagnant for several years as the county funds these priorities. He also noted statewide pressure from the legislature on local taxation and described the budget as a balancing act among public‑safety, infrastructure and social services.

Court members voted to accept the tax-rate presentation and to publish the proposed rate and hearing notice; the public hearing is scheduled for Aug. 25 at 10 a.m. The court did not adopt a final tax rate at the Aug. 11 meeting.