The governor of Texas is like a CEO, said Rep. Fred Hill, R-Richardson.
“If I was the CEO, I’d have you stand up, thank you, and give you a party,” said Hill, a featured speaker at the CJCAT Annual Conference. “Then I’d leave you alone and take care of all of the other problems.”
Hill, a champion of county government known for his opposition to appraisal and revenue caps, received a standing ovation from some 160 county judges and commissioners who convened in Fort Worth Sept. 15-18 for the 86th Annual County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas Conference.
The State of Texas has under its umbrella a full slate of areas requiring immediate attention such as the prison, transportation, health care, public education and higher education systems, Hill said.
“You do for yourselves, and you do a good job,” Hill told county officials. “But Austin is saying you are big spenders. I want you to get mad!”
The State of Texas does not fund cities and counties, he continued. Rather, these forms of government are supported primarily by the property tax. Yet the State continues to pass down unfunded mandates, which in turn drive up the property tax rate. Approximately 73 percent of the county budget is dedicated to state mandates, Hill said.
“I want you to come to Austin and stand up for yourselves,” he continued.
As the 81st Session of the Texas Legislature approaches, appraisal and revenue caps will once again be on the table. However, caps are “a formula for disaster,” Hill said, and are akin to a sinking ship. Revenue caps “will restrict your ability to raise revenue and fulfill your obligations,” he said, while appraisal caps will only serve to shift the burden from one group to another.
The most effective way for county judges and commissioners to defeat these proposals and continue to fight the age-old battle against unfunded mandates is to sit down face to face with lawmakers and state their case.
E-mails, phone calls, letters and faxes are simply not enough, Hill stressed. Officials need to make personal appointments and ask their senators and representatives, “Are you with us? Are we going to be the generation that loses local control in this state?”
There is no substitute for a personal relationship with a legislator, said Jim Allison, general counsel to the CJCAT. A key factor in forming a successful relationship is getting to know the lawmaker’s staff.
“Be creative,” Allison said. Determine whether your senator or representative arrives early to meetings, and position yourself accordingly. Be willing to sit and wait outside of meeting rooms and in office lobbies. And above all, be prepared to present your information. For example, know how to explain the difference between a mandated service and discretionary service. Sheriff’s field deputies and senior citizen centers are discretionary services as opposed to mandated services, such as the county jail. Counties only fund discretionary items if there is enough money left over from the mandated areas. If counties are forced to cut services, they will have no choice but to suspend discretionary services; while categorized as discretionary, these areas are viewed as “quality-of-life services” and are of great importance to the citizen taxpayers.
Communicating with state officials is just one of a myriad of responsibilities befalling the commissioners court. A key component of an effective court is the ability to build effective relationships with county employees and members of the community. During the conference, Texas Association of Counties Executive Director Karen Norris led a panel discussion on setting the stage for effectual relationships, where seasoned officials provided valuable tips:
Tom Green County Judge Mike Brown: Remember you are not in charge. You are working with a team, and you are a team player.
Taylor County Commissioner Chuck Statler: Listening skills are very important. Failure to listen is a sign of disrespect to those who came before you.
Bell County Commissioner Richard Cortese: Try to figure out how to be successful in a few areas at a time.
Oldham County Judge Don R. Allred: Build trust. If people think you are withholding something, they will not trust you.
One way to build this trust is to fulfill responsibilities spelled out in the Local Government Code, including required continuing education. Judges are tasked with 30 credit hours during the first year of office, and 16 credit hours for each 12-month reporting period following the first year. Commissioners are required to attain 16 hours for each 12-month period in office; eight surplus hours may be carried from one 12-month period to the next.
Commissioners attending each session of this year’s state conference received 18 hours of credit, while judges earned four hours of judicial education credit. The four-day meeting spanned a variety of topics, from the juvenile justice system, county roads, personnel policy and overweight trucks to negotiating technology contracts, unusual probate filings, and fine collection through vehicle registration.
Along with learning key issues affecting grassroots government, conference attendees conducted Association business, passing 28 resolutions and electing the 2008-2009 slate of officers: President Evan Gonzales, Lee County judge; First Vice President Ray Meadows, McLennan County commissioner; Second Vice President Don R. Allred, Oldham County judge; and Immediate Past President J.D. Johnson, Tarrant County commissioner.
The new officers were sworn in at the Annual Installation Banquet, which also featured the presentation of 33 Commissioners Court Advanced Curriculum certificates and the County Progress Awards program recipients (see page?).
Next year’s state conference will take place at the Omni Corpus Christi Bayfront and Marina Towers in Corpus Christi on Oct. 5-8, 2009.
Julie Anderson