By Claire Kowalick Times Record News The Fair Defense Act of 2001 provided substantial improvement to the indigent defense system in Texas, but a vast majority of mandated expenses continue to fall on individual counties. Data from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission (TIDC) shows that in the past 15 years, indigent defense spending in Wichita County – the money to … [Read more...] about Wichita County Indigent Defense Costs Rise 202 Percent Since 2001
Funding
Economic Development Tools Help Lure Business, Jobs, Tourists
Growing Texas Counties Economic Development Tools Help Lure Business, Jobs, Tourists By Julie Anderson Editor When it comes to growing the local economy, the McCulloch County Commissioners Court is hands-on. For example the sole action item on the Aug. 3 Commissioners Court Agenda read as follows: “Consider and act on adopting guidelines and criteria allowing … [Read more...] about Economic Development Tools Help Lure Business, Jobs, Tourists
THC Announces Courthouse Grant Recipients
The Texas Historical Commission (THC) announced Round VIII grant recipients of the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program at its quarterly meeting on April 30 in Fort Worth. The THC awarded matching grants totaling more than $5 million to 18 Texas counties to help preserve their historic courthouses. The communities to receive funds in Round VIII of the program are: … [Read more...] about THC Announces Courthouse Grant Recipients
Government Shutdown & County Effects
What impact does the partial shutdown of the federal government have on Texas Counties? We asked Penny Redington, executive director of the Texas Association of Regional Councils, to share her thoughts on the county connection: “What we are hearing today from federal and state agencies is some degree of reassurance that service delivery and provider reimbursement processes … [Read more...] about Government Shutdown & County Effects
Extra Funding Means New Equipment for State 9-1-1 System
By Todd Wiseman and Aman Batheja The Texas Tribune | texastribune.org From a small room in a police station halfway between Austin and College Station, Monica Baxter answers a phone with “9-1-1” written on the receiver. A nearby computer screen springs to life, displaying data based on the caller’s phone number. Another shows a map of the caller’s approximate … [Read more...] about Extra Funding Means New Equipment for State 9-1-1 System