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Brooks County adopts 2025–26 budget, raises property tax rate and authorizes lawsuit settlement
Summary
The Brooks County Commissioners unanimously adopted the 2025–2026 budget and approved a 0.900847 property tax rate (a 1.41% increase), approved multiple line-item transfers and authorized county attorneys to finalize settlement in Jose De La Luz v. Brooks County.
Brooks County Judge Eric Ramos and the Commissioners' Court unanimously adopted the county’s 2025–2026 budget on Sept. 19, 2025, after afternoon adjustments that left the county with an estimated surplus of about $255,000.
The court approved several intra-fund transfers to cover operational needs, including moving $25,000 from a Sheriff’s “Taser” account to an oil line, $5,000 to vehicle repairs, and smaller transfers to cover registration, repairs and supplies. The court also approved payment of invoice #1409 to Jaime’s Air Conditioning for $1,008 and authorized Road & Bridge to place decommissioned equipment in an upcoming Apple Towing auction.
During budget deliberations the court discussed personnel and program funding changes: reducing the deputies line by $15,000, adding $80,000 for two jailer positions (with one position proposed to be paid from OLS funds and the other from SB22 funds pending approval), and increasing Task Force Indigent funding to $70,000. The court also directed a $50,000 transfer to the Landfill fund (Fund 12) with additional subsidy from Fund 31 to help cover landfill operations.
The court recessed to executive session at 10:07 a.m. for litigation matters and returned to open session at 10:23 a.m., where it unanimously authorized the law firm McKibben, Martinez, and Wood LLP to finalize settlement in the lawsuit Jose De La Luz v. Brooks County. The authorization was moved by Commissioner Aaron Trevino and seconded by Commissioner Rolando Gutierrez.
Judge Ramos read an order adopting the county’s property tax rate at 0.900847, which the court stated is effectively a 1.41% increase in the tax rate; Commissioner Nora Salinas moved the measure and Commissioner Aaron Trevino seconded. The motion passed by unanimous roll call.
The court discussed but did not finalize a plan to pursue a private vendor for the county trash truck; commissioners noted that any change would require a 45-day notice to the current brush truck operator and would likely not take effect until December or January. The meeting recessed at 10:31 a.m. and reconvened at 4:46 p.m.; the court adjourned at 5:03 p.m.
Votes at a glance: the court recorded unanimous 5–0 votes on routine bills, multiple line-item transfers and the budget and tax-rate adoptions. Several agenda items were noted as “on file” in the official minutes.
