Maverick County withdraws request for Attorney General Opinion on Taxpayers request for public records concerning 2016 Tax Rate

Maverick County, Texas general counsel Robert W. Wilson wrote a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, dated January 5, 2017, announcing Maverick County’s withdrawal for an Attorney General Opinion on the Open Records request made by County Taxpayer Ethelvina I. Felan on October 20, 2016 regarding all the drafts and final version of the 2016 Effective Tax Rate Worksheets from September 7, 2016 through October 12, 2016 located in the Maverick County Tax-Assessor Collector Isamari S. Villarreal’s Office.

Wilson stated in his January 5, 2017 that Maverick County “will be releasing the requested documents to Mrs. Felan.”  Wilson’s letter is an implicit admission by Maverick County that the public records requested by Ethelvina I. Felan are indeed public records subject to disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act.

Wilson’s January 5, 2017 letter to Attorney General Ken Paxton does not state why Maverick County suddenly withdrew its request for an Attorney General Opinion.

Wilson originally requested an Attorney General Opinion on behalf of Maverick County on November 10, 2016 stating that the requested public records were “exempt” from disclosure to the public.  Many local taxpayers questioned Maverick County’s request for an Attorney General Opinion when these documents are public records under the Truth in Taxation Provision of the Texas Tax Code.  Local taxpayers viewed the County’s request for an Attorney General Opinion as an outright denial of public records and a delay tactic by Commissioners Court and their general counsel, Wilson, to produce these legitimate public records.

Wilson’s January 5, 2017 letter does not state when will Maverick County will produce these public records to Ethelvina I. Felan, but it is presumed to be immediately.