Maverick County Citizens attend Commissioners Court Special Meeting on Miscalculation of 2016 Tax Rate and Budget

By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016

Over 50 concerned Maverick County citizens and taxpayers attended the Maverick County Commissioners Court special meeting on Thursday, September 29, 2016, to express their objection against the miscalculation of the 2016 Tax Rate and Budget approved on September 12th by Commissioners Court, causing a fiscal crisis for Maverick County only two days before the start of the 2016-2017 fiscal year.

Former Maverick County Commissioner Anastacio “Hooky” Guajardo spoke to the Commissioners during Visitors Recognition, decrying the negligent miscalculation of the 2016 Tax Rate and the over eight percent tax rate increase resulting therefrom subject to a tax rollback petition.

Maverick County citizens Juanita V. Martinez and Etelvina Felan also sought to address Commissioners Court concerning the miscalculation of the 2016 Tax Rate and tax rate increase, but County Judge David R. Saucedo denied them to speak during Visitors Recognition on the same subject in the interest of time and it being a special meeting which allows no visitor recognition speakers.

Commissioners Court went into Executive Session at 5:20 P.M. to discuss five agenda items, including the miscalculation of the 2016 Tax Rate and Budget.

At 9:40 P.M., Commissioners Court were still in Executive Session, more than four hours and 20 minutes, discussing the urgent fiscal crisis facing Maverick County unless the 2016 Tax Rate is properly corrected and calculated before the start of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2016.

Meanwhile, over 25 Maverick County taxpayers remain awaiting the decision of Commissioners Court on this urgent fiscal issue facing Maverick County. The taxpayers ordered pizza from a local pizzeria to sustain their energy while patiently waiting Commissioners Court to come out of Executive Session and subsequent decision on the miscalculation of the 2016 Tax Rate and Budget. They await Commissioners Court return into Open Session as of 9:45 PM. This meeting is going to be a marathon session into the early morning hours.