Maverick County Judge Ramsey English Cantu Announces Payment of His Delinquent Ad Valorem Property Taxes
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2023
Maverick County Judge Ramsey English Cantu announced at a hastily called press conference held on Thursday, September 7, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at the Commissioners Courtroom in Eagle Pass, Texas that he had paid in full the delinquent ad valorem property taxes owed by him and his sister, Kimberly Cantu, on a real property jointly-owned by both.
County Judge Cantu presented tax certificates from the Eagle Pass Independent School District, City of Eagle Pass, and Maverick County showing that all delinquent ad valorem property taxes owed on the property located at 675 Main Street, Eagle Pass, Texas had been paid in full on September 6, 2023.
Cantu admitted responsibility for not paying the ad valorem property taxes owed on the real property located at 675 Main Street for 10 years, but explained that the property had been initially placed for sale and two proposed sales of the property failed to consummate, thus causing the delay in payment of the delinquent property taxes for 10 years.
The issue arose to public light when a local publication published an article on August 28, 2023 bringing to light County Judge Cantu’s non-payment of the delinquent ad valorem property taxes owed on the 675 Main Street property for at least 10 years, raising an uproar among Maverick County taxpayers and citizens.
Shortly after publication of the article bringing to light the County Judge’s non-payment of his ad valorem property taxes on the 675 Main Street property, the Eagle Pass Independent School District and City of Eagle Pass tax collection law firm of Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson of San Antonio, Texas filed a tax collection lawsuit against County Judge Cantu and his sister, Kimberly Cantu, on August 30, 2023 under Cause No. 23-08-06244-TX in the 293rd Judicial District Court, Maverick County, Texas, seeking the total sum of $65,144.12 in delinquent ad valorem property taxes, including taxes and accrued interest, plus attorney’s fees, court costs, and expenses.
According to the lawsuit filed against County Judge Cantu and his sister, they jointly owed delinquent property taxes on the 675 Main Street property to the Eagle Pass Independent School District from 2013 to 2022, a period of 10 years, for the total sum of $44,790.91. In addition, the lawsuit alleges County Judge Cantu and his sister jointly owed the City of Eagle Pass delinquent property taxes from 2013 to 2022, a period of 10 years too, for the total sum of $20.353.21. Thus, the total sum owed on delinquent property taxes for the 675 Main Street property was $65,144.12 plus attorney’s fees, court costs, and expenses, according to the lawsuit.
At the September 7, 2023 press conference, County Judge Cantu highlighted that all of these delinquent ad valorem property taxes owed by him on the 675 Main Street property were paid in full the previous day of September 6, 2023.
County Judge Cantu noted that there are certain people within the community who do not want to see progress in Maverick County nor him succeed as County Judge. Cantu acknowledged that he welcomes criticism as a public official, but he takes offense when his parents and sister are brought into the limelight for him being a public servant.
Maverick County taxpayers and citizens are concerned and have many questions of County Judge Cantu, the tax collection law firm of Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, and of past and present Eagle Pass Independent School District Superintendents and Board of Trustees and City of Eagle Pass City Managers and City Council members for allowing taxpayers to go 10 years without payment of their delinquent ad valorem property taxes, particularly not filing a lawsuit for collection of these taxes.
During these 10 years that Judge Cantu was delinquent on his property taxes on 675 Main Street, he was elected as City Council member, Mayor of the City of Eagle Pass, and County Judge of Maverick County. In addition, Cantu served on many national, state, regional, and local Board of Directors of non-profit organizations and governmental institutions during these 10 years.
County Judge Cantu’s admission of responsibility of non-payment of his property taxes during these 10 year period and explanation as to why he had not paid them left many Maverick County taxpayers and citizens upset, perplexed, and demanding accountability from all persons and entities involved in the decision making process that allowed this to happen for such a long period of time, while supporters of Judge Cantu have forgiven him and accepted his responsibility and payment of the delinquent taxes.
Although Judge Cantu raised the issue of not involving his parents and sister regarding his personal public service issues, one cannot separate one from the other. A review of the Maverick County District Clerk records, this publication found four other tax collection lawsuits filed by the law firm of Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson against Judge Cantu’s parents and sister on other properties they own after August 28, 2023, the date the news came to public light of the Judge’s property tax delinquency.
In Cause No. 23-08-06238-TX, the Eagle Pass Independent School District and City of Eagle Pass filed suit against Kimberly Cantu on August 30, 2023, for delinquent property taxes on four tracts of properties totaling $87,617.90 from 2007 to 2022 in some of the properties, plus attorney’s fees, court costs, and expenses.
In Cause No. 23-09-06245-TXAJA, the Eagle Pass Independent School District and the City of Eagle Pass filed suit against Raul Cantu DBA Cantu’s Service Center on September 5, 2023, for delinquent business property taxes for the amount of $3,097.30 from 2002 to 2022 in the City of Eagle Pass and from 2006 to 2022 in the Eagle Pass Independent School District, plus attorney’s fees, court costs, and expenses.
In Cause No. 23-09-06246-TX, the Eagle Pass Independent School District and the City of Eagle Pass filed suit against Byrdie English Cantu on September 5, 2023 for delinquent property taxes on a certain real property totaling $13,486.41 from 2021 to 2022, plus attorney’s fees, court costs, and expenses.
In Cause No. 23-09-06247-TXAJA, the Eagle Pass Independent School District and the City of Eagle Pass filed suit against Byrdie English Cantu on September 5, 2023, for delinquent property taxes on a certain real property totaling $5,825.92 from 2012 to 2022, plus attorney’s fees, court costs, and expenses.
All these lawsuits were filed after County Judge Cantu’s tax delinquency situation came to light to the public. Maverick County taxpayers and citizens have many questions and seek accountability for this delay in collection of delinquent property taxes.
County Judge Cantu did not address at his press conference on September 7, 2023 if these additional delinquent ad valorem property taxes have been paid by his family members. He only addressed the delinquent property taxes owed by him had been paid in full.
County Judge Cantu stated at the press conference that he looks forward to continuing to work for the progress of Maverick County and its citizens.
