Maverick County Commissioners Court approve proposed Nine Cents tax rate increase

By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2015

Maverick County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a proposed tax rate increase for 2015-2016 fiscal year by over nine (.091385) cents per $100 valuation at their Monday, August 17, 2015 meeting, resulting an increase from its current tax rate of $.547664 per $100 valuation to the new proposed tax rate of $.639049 per $100 valuation for next year.  The new proposed tax rate of $.639049 per $100 valuation is the maximum allowed before a tax rollback election (8% increase) can be petitioned by taxpayers.

Commissioners Court addressed several agenda items concerning the proposed tax rate and operating budget for 2015-2016 fiscal year.  The new fiscal year commences on October 1, 2015 and runs through September 30, 2016.

Maverick County Tax-Assessor Collector Isamari Sanchez Villarreal advised Commissioners Court that there had been a slight change in the proposed tax rate of Maverick County, causing the proposed operating budget calendar, publication dates, and public hearing and meeting dates be moved back by a few days.  Villarreal noted that the publication date will now be August 23, 2015 while the public hearing dates for the proposed tax rate will now be held on August 31, 2015 and September 8, 2015 at 5 P.M. at Commissioners Courtroom in Eagle Pass, Texas.

Villarreal told Commissioners Court that the 2015-2016 Maverick County certified tax roll did not change as a result of these new figures and remains the same.

County Judge David R. Saucedo asked Commissioners Court if there was any motion to be made.  Commissioner Roberto Ruiz motioned to approve the proposed tax roll back tax rate of $.0639049 for fiscal year 2015-2016 and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Rosy Cantu.  The motion was approved unanimously by Commissioners Court.  Commissioners Court includes County Judge David R. Saucedo and Commissioners Jose Luis Rosales, Jerry Morales, Rosy Cantu, and Roberto Ruiz.

In addition to the over nine cents proposed tax rate increase ($.091385), Maverick County taxpayers received increased tax appraisals on their real property from the Maverick County Appraisal District with increases between 26 to 29 percent.  The City of Eagle Pass is also proposing a tax rate increase of almost six cents while the Eagle Pass Independent School District is proposing a less than two cents increase and the Maverick County Hospital Distirct is deadlocked whether to propose a tax rate increase.  Thus, the increased tax appraisals combined with the County’s increased proposed tax rate of $.639049 per $100 valuation has the effect of a double tax on County taxpayers.

One local taxpayer noted his employment salary did not increase by eight percent as the proposed roll back tax rate did and it will be a financial burden to pay the increased taxes during the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

The public hearings scheduled for August 31st and September 8th are open to the public and public comments are welcomed before Commissioners Court officially approves the proposed tax rate by slightly over nine cents ($.091385 per $100 valuation).