Bridge Report 07/19/2021
By Mark Myers - Your Lavaca County Judge

Plan for the worst.  Hope for the best.

Budget planning.  What’s next? 

Your Commissioner’s Court has now heard all budget requests from every department head and elected official.  We will make conservative adjustments to suit the needs of the county and the services that we provide.  Many factors go into these decisions such as the current economic status of the county, projected fuel costs, possible increases in insurance, contracted labor and professional services, etc.  We must try to accurately forecast what we will need to spend for the next fiscal year without a crystal ball while being ever mindful of the responsibility we all share to be good stewards of the taxpayer’s money. We now wait to see what our finances will be based on this year’s property tax appraisals.  Our Tax Assessor Collector will calculate the various tax rate options and she will present those to Commissioner’s Court. We will make the necessary adjustments to our budgets to do our very best to try to operate effectively without raising the tax rate.  Remember, we pay taxes too. 

The proposed budget is then finalized and presented to the public for review.  After a period of time your Commissioner’s Court will hold hearing(s) to listen to public comment pertaining to the rate that is needed to cover the cost of doing business.  Ultimately, we will pass an effective budget and tax rate for the following fiscal year and then we must operate within that budget. We are regulated by state law to do so (Texas Local Government Code 111.010).  We cannot go into our reserves and make up any differences during the fiscal year if we should fall short as per statute.  Lack of planning causing a budget shortfall would mean that taxpayers would suffer in the way of unfulfilled vital services.   At the end of the fiscal year, there is normally an unspent amount of money in most of the departments.  These monies are either rolled over into the next year’s budget or it is placed in the reserve balance to be used for emergencies or grave public necessity.  Lack of planning or budget shortfall within the fiscal year does not constitute an emergency or grave public necessity according to statute.   

Lavaca County has been fortunate to have several good years where there was a balance left over at the end of the year.   Rather than spend the remaining balance to zero on items or commodities that are unneeded, your county government has responsibly placed these monies in our special reserve funds for use in the event of a true emergency such as hurricane, flood, act of war or any other catastrophic event as defined by state statute.  In our most recent annual outside audit, we were commended on the financial stability of our reserve funds.  This is a great status for the county to be in financially and speaks to the conservative mindset of Lavaca County.

As your County Judge my personal concern is prioritized in the following order: People, Public Safety, Property Protection, Other Functions of Government.  Lavaca County is blessed with a population of hard working and principled people who understand that all of these priorities are ultimately tied to the quality of people within an organization.  I believe that we must provide the very best to our constituents.  Our county deserves nothing less.  Most of you likely know someone within our organization that is dedicated to serving the public.  Government jobs are not known for their high pay and Lavaca County is no different.  Most folks who work within the county ranks do so because they care about their community and they are committed to making Lavaca County a better place for all of us.  Public Service is a calling but dedicated employees deserve a living wage in which they can raise their families.  I have placed a high priority on getting appropriate raises to all of our employees.  Quality pay generates quality employees.  Quality employees generate superior services.  It is the right thing to do. 

I have been concentrating on educating everyone about our county’s budget process.  Property taxes are the catalyst that produces the finances that we need to provide you with all the vital services that we are obligated to provide.  Budgeting effectively means that your county government can effectively carry out those functions everyday that most do not even think about.  If we fail to plan effectively, those functions will become all too apparent.  Of your total tax bill, only about 40% (or less) of it actually funds the county.  We are a real bargain when you consider what all that those tax dollars provide.   May God Bless and shield those who serve our nation, Texas and Lavaca County and may He bless you all.

It is an honor to serve you.

Mark Myers                                                          

 Lavaca County Judge

Governor Abbott Issues Disaster Declaration In Response To Border Crisis In Texas

Declaration provides more resources to address influx of unlawful immigrants

AUSTIN - Governor Greg Abbott today issued a disaster declaration along Texas' southern border in response to the border crisis, providing more resources and strategies to combat the ongoing influx of unlawful immigrants. The Governor is authorizing the use of all necessary and available state and local resources to protect landowners in these counties from trespassers and the damage they cause to private property. The Governor has also directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to enforce all federal and state criminal laws, including criminal trespassing, smuggling, and human trafficking. The Governor directed the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to take all necessary steps to discontinue state licensure of any child care facility under a contract with the federal government that shelters or detains unlawful immigrants.

Additionally, the Governor directed the Texas Commission on Jail Standards and the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to work with Texas counties to provide appropriate guidance and request any necessary waivers in order to give counties the flexibility needed to establish adequate alternative detention facilities or otherwise add or expand capacity. The Governor also directed these agencies to streamline procedures for licensing and transfers, and to address any staffing issues that may arise in expanding capacity.

"President Biden's open-border policies have paved the way for dangerous gangs and cartels, human traffickers, and deadly drugs like fentanyl to pour into our communities," said Governor Abbott. "Meanwhile, landowners along the border are seeing their property damaged and vandalized on a daily basis while the Biden Administration does nothing to protect them. Texas continues to step up to confront the border crisis in the federal government's absence, but more must be done. By declaring a state of disaster in these counties, Texas will have more resources and strategies at our disposal to protect landowners and enforce all federal and state laws to combat criminal activities stemming from the border crisis. Working together with local law enforcement, the state will continue to take robust and meaningful action to keep our communities safe.”

Public Notice Pursuant to the Texas Election Code 42.035, the Lavaca County Commissioners Court has adopted new county election precinct boundaries to be used beginning in 2022 and to be used permanently thereafter.  The boundary changes will reduce the number of voting precincts from 19 down to 11.  These voting boundary consolidations are as follows:

Precinct 1 combines Precinct 1 and 12

Precinct 2 remains unchanged

Precinct 8 remains unchanged

Precinct 9 remains unchanged

Precinct 11 combines Precincts 32 and 11

Precinct 16 combines Precincts 16 and 17

Precinct 19 combines Precincts 19, 20 and 27

Precinct 23 remains unchanged

Precinct 29 combines Precincts 29 and 15

Precinct 30 combines Precincts 30 and 26

Precinct 31 combines Precincts 31 and 7

Map of Combined Voting Precincts from 9 to 11

NOTICE ABOUT 2020 TAX RATES

Property Tax Rates in County of Lavaca

This notice concerns the 2020 property tax rates for County of Lavaca. This notice provides information about two tax rates used in adopting the current tax year's tax rate. The no-new-revenue tax rate would impose the same amount of taxes as last year if you compare properties taxed in both years. In most cases, the voter-approval tax rate is the highest tax rate a taxing unit can adopt without holding an election. In each case, these rates are calculated by dividing the total amount of taxes by the current taxable value with adjustments as required by state law. The rates are given per $100 of property value.

This year's no-new-revenue tax rate:                                                                                             $0.6016

This year's total voter-approval tax rate:                                                                                      $0.6115

 

Unencumbered Fund Balances

 

The following estimated balances will be left in the taxing unit's accounts at the end of the fiscal year. These balances are not encumbered by corresponding debt obligation.

Type of Fund                                                                                                               Balance
General Fund (M&O)                                                                                                   11,741,397
0

Current Year Debt Service

The following amounts are for long-term debts that are secured by property taxes. These amounts will be paid from upcoming property tax revenues (or additional sales tax revenues, if applicable).

Description of Debt           Principal or Contract                      Interest to be Paid from  Other Amounts to be        Total 
Payment to be Paid from      Property Taxes Paid from Property Taxes Paid Payment
Property Taxes

 

Total required for 2020 debt service                                                                                                   0
-Amount (if any) paid from funds listed in unencumbered funds                                                          0
-Amount (if any) paid from other resources
-Excess collections last year                                                                                                                 1.267
=Total to be paid from taxes in 2020                                                                                                    -1.267
+ Amount added in anticipation that the taxing unit will collect only
100.00% of its taxes in 2020
=Total debt levy                                                                                                                               -1,267

 

This notice contains a summary of the no-new-revenue and voter-approval calculations as certified by Deborah A. Sevcik, Tax Assessor-Collector on August 03, 2020.