Starr County reports higher delinquent-tax collections, approves resale plan for struck-off properties

Starr County commissioners on May 26 heard a six-month delinquent-tax report showing the county's collections were ahead of last year and approved a resolution to resell struck-off properties to return them to the tax roll.

Jan, who identified herself as representing the delinquent-tax attorneys (Limeburgger), told the court the office collected $1.962 million from Oct. 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026, compared with $1.86 million for the same period the prior year. "Our main goal anytime we collect is to make contact with your taxpayers," Jan said, describing mailings, more than 4,600 phone calls and door-to-door outreach that produced about 87 payment agreements and 64 accounts paid in full over the six-month period.

Jan reported the office filed 128 lawsuits during the period; 23 cases were resolved by payment agreements (amounts described in the presentation as about $118,000), and the office took judgments in 39 cases (described as totaling about $267,000). She said the office generally continues to accept payment plans even after filing suits, and that foreclosing or selling property is a last resort.

The presenter announced the next scheduled county tax sale is July 7 at 10 a.m. and said he anticipates roughly 30 properties will be listed. He said properties targeted for sale are predominantly commercial, vacant or abandoned rental properties and that the office does not place homesteads or occupants on the street.

On a related agenda item, the court approved a resolution authorizing resale of certain struck-off properties that were listed at prior tax sales but attracted no bids. The presenter said the county is asking the court to permit resale with lower opening bidsoften matching the taxes owed or the appraised valueto spark interest. He listed 18 properties proposed for resale: 14 abandoned properties, three vacant lots and one abandoned commercial property, and said none were homesteads.

Jan said the county's goal in allowing resales at lower opening bids is to get properties back on the tax roll so they can be rehabilitated and begin producing tax revenue. "Our goal on these properties is to get them back on the tax role so people can fix up the properties, clear them, and start paying taxes," he said.

During questioning the court clarified the collection figures include amounts collected for county-contracted entities such as the hospital district, the college and schools whose collections are handled through the Starr County tax office; some cities and independent taxing entities collect through their own tax offices and were not included in the presented totals. The resale resolution passed after a motion and second; the transcript records at least one opposing vote on the motion but does not provide a full tally.

Next steps: the delinquent-tax office will publish the July 7 tax sale listing, and the county will post resale property details online as presented.