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Tax assessor warns TXDMV online fee change could cut county revenue by roughly $376,000; requests staff and satellite office options
Summary
Kevin, the county tax assessor-collector, told commissioners the office received a $3.2 million annual sales‑tax remittance and that a TXDMV change to online transaction fees could reduce county income by an estimated $376,000; he requested three full‑time employees (or four if a satellite office opens) and $20,464 for temporaries to handle peak workloads.
Kevin, the county’s tax assessor-collector, briefed the Commissioners Court on the motor-vehicle office’s revenue and staffing needs, saying the state comptroller remitted about $3.2 million to the county this year for sales‑tax distributions and that the department generated roughly $6.4 million in revenue from fees and transactions over the past year.
Kevin told the court that a recent TXDMV action to standardize online motor-vehicle registration fees will reduce the county’s per‑transaction fee for some online renewals from about $1.90 to $0.50, producing a projected revenue shortfall of about $376,000 over the projection period. “So you’re looking at about a dollar 10 difference for the renewals… that’s how we’re coming up with that, around that $376,000 figure,” he said.
To address high customer demand and long lines, Kevin asked for additional staffing: three full‑time positions if services remain centralized, or four (including a supervisor) if commissioners approve opening a satellite office on the south side of Flower Bluff. He also requested temporary staffing funds of about $20,464 to cover peak months and property‑tax season. The office discussed possible kiosk pilots with TXDMV that could reduce in‑person line length but cautioned implementation timing is uncertain.
Commissioners questioned whether a satellite office would save money or simply provide convenience. Kevin said a satellite would be a convenience that could reduce courthouse lines and parking pressure but would increase operating costs; he recommended adding staff now, with the option to move personnel to a satellite should a suitable location be found.
Ending: Commissioners asked staff to include the staffing and temporary‑employee requests in budget deliberations and to provide follow‑up estimates; no formal vote was taken at the hearing.
