Commissioners certify $154,019 reimbursement to Dayton TIRZ covering multiple years

The Liberty County Commissioners Court on Tuesday certified a consolidated reimbursement of $154,019 to the Gulf Inland tax reinvestment zone created by the city of Dayton, covering ad valorem tax years 2019 through 2024.

County staff explained the TIRZ arrangement dates to a county document executed Sept. 4, 2018, under which captured increases in property value in the zone are shared. The county's administrative process is to collect taxes first, verify year-by-year collected amounts and then refund the county's 50% share of the captured value. The $154,019 payment represents the county's certified obligation for the combined years being reconciled.

"I came up with consolidated amount total that I'm certifying to the auditor's office that we owe them a $154,019," the county presenter told the court while reviewing valuations and captured-value calculations for each tax year.

The presenter said the county collected $380,878.52 on the TIRZ accounts for the same years; 50% of the captured amounts is what the zone is entitled to under the TIRZ formula. Staff said this payment is a catch-up for years that had not previously been reconciled, and the county will continue annual verification going forward.

The court approved the payment and instructed the auditor to issue the check. Commissioners were reminded the TIRZ runs through Dec. 31, 2043, unless altered by mutual agreement in the future.

The court record shows the motion to approve the reimbursement passed; staff said three other TIRZ accounts would be reported to the court in the coming months for similar reconciliation.