Texas County Progress

The Official Publication of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas

Legislature

Keep Your Eye Out…For Unfunded Mandates, and Legislation to Prohibit Them

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By Julie Anderson | Editor, County Progress Two years ago when Rep. Burt R. Solomons (R-Carrollton) filed House Joint Resolution 56 calling for the prohibition of unfunded mandates, Oldham County Judge Don R. Allred was there in person to offer his applause. “This was an important piece of legislation for counties,” stressed Allred, a past president of the County Judges … [Read more...] about Keep Your Eye Out…For Unfunded Mandates, and Legislation to Prohibit Them

Lessons from the 82nd Session of the Texas Legislature: The Intrinsic Value of a Broken Record

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When a vinyl record suffers a scratch, the record needle jumps causing a section of the recording to repeat until the needle is removed or shifted. Two years ago commissioners courts across the Lone Star State were looking to get scratched – or, more accurately, gouged. Facing a $27 billion deficit, the Texas Legislature proposed major shifts in public policy through the … [Read more...] about Lessons from the 82nd Session of the Texas Legislature: The Intrinsic Value of a Broken Record

The Texas Capitol

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“This building fires the heart and excites reflections in the minds of all…the architecture of a civilization is its most enduring feature, and by this structure shall Texas transmit herself to posterity…” - Temple Houston, son of Sam Houston, at the dedication of the Capitol. On Feb. 1, 1882, officials broke ground on the Capitol site near the center of Austin. Six years … [Read more...] about The Texas Capitol

83rd Texas Legislature

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The County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas (CJCAT) has always approached the Texas Legislature with resolve. For example, during the past few legislative sessions local government officials and associations such as the CJCAT voiced spirited opposition to appraisal and revenue caps and extreme budget cuts. Consequently, multiple regular and special sessions … [Read more...] about 83rd Texas Legislature