Jack County adopts FY2025–26 budget and raises property tax rates

The Jack County Commissioners Court adopted the fiscal year 2025–26 budget and approved new property tax rates during its Aug. 25 regular session.

Commissioner Henry Birdwell moved "I move that property taxes be increased by adopting a Maintenance & Operation Tax Rate of $0.358123 per $100 of valuation for the 2025-2026 tax year." Commissioner Terry Ward seconded the motion, which passed on a roll-call vote of 5–0 (Commissioners Oliver, Salazar, Birdwell, Ward and County Judge Brian Keith Umphress voting yes).

Commissioner Terry Ward then moved "I move that property taxes be increased by adopting a Road & Bridge Tax Rate of $0.083920 per $100 valuation for the 2025-2026 tax year." Commissioner Amy Salazar seconded the motion; it passed by the same 5–0 roll-call vote.

Commissioner Gary Oliver offered a motion to allow the statutory homestead exemptions and early-payment discounts under Property Tax Code § 11.13 and § 31.05(b); Commissioner Henry Birdwell seconded and the motion passed 5–0. Commissioner Birdwell subsequently moved to adopt the proposed county budget "with the changes made since its filing," a motion that passed by roll call, 5–0.

The court opened a public hearing on the proposed budget and tax rate but the record shows no members of the public spoke. The budget and tax-rate approvals are reflected in the court’s minutes and will govern county finances for FY2025–26.

Votes at a glance: the court approved the payment of accounts and claims; adopted the maintenance and road & bridge tax rates; authorized statutory exemptions and discounts; and adopted the county budget. Other recorded unanimous actions during the same meeting included approval of a multi-item consent agenda (minutes, auditor’s monthly report, issuance and increases of county credit cards and several official bonds/oaths), ratification of a Nonstop Group application/contract, an increase to the revised-plat fee in Appendix S, and approval of the district courtroom blinds purchase. All recorded roll-call votes on motions in the minutes were 5–0.

Clarifying details recorded in the minutes include: authorization of a county credit card for David VanderKaay in the amount of $2,500; increases of credit-card limits in the Jack County Sheriff’s Office for Sheriff Charles Hauger ($10,000), Chief Deputy Doug Angell ($10,000) and Administrative Secretary Tammy Miller ($10,000); and the revised-plat fee being set at $500 (the agenda text listed $250 as a prior figure). The minutes also reference compliance changes tied to HB 1522 and Texas Government Code § 551.043 requiring court agendas be posted the Tuesday before meetings.

The budget and tax-rate motions were made and passed by the full five-member court and will take effect for the 2025–2026 tax year and fiscal year; the court did not record any amendments to those motions at this meeting.