*** Click here for the audio version.*** According to Texas Transportation Code Section 502.401, Subchapter H, Optional Fees, “The Commissioners Court of a county by order may impose an additional fee, not to exceed $10, for registering a vehicle in the county.” The $10 maximum was established in 1991. County Impact Grimes County collects the $10 fee, which is deposited … [Read more...] about Resolution Spotlight: Optional County Road and Bridge Fee
Resolution Spotlight
Resolution Spotlight: Municipal Utility Districts
*** Click here for the audio version.*** A municipal utility district (MUD) is a state governmental entity that provides utility services to designated areas. A MUD may be created by the Texas Legislature or by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) following a petition and consent process described in the Texas Water Code. MUDs are usually created … [Read more...] about Resolution Spotlight: Municipal Utility Districts
Resolution Spotlight: Support for County Road Grant Funds
Over a five-year period, TxDOT data shows a consistent and alarming trend: Nearly 7 percent of all traffic fatalities in Texas occur on county roads each year. “That’s a significant share of the state’s roadway deaths occurring on roads that counties struggle to maintain with limited and outdated resources,” observed Cass County Judge Travis Ransom. One of those outdated … [Read more...] about Resolution Spotlight: Support for County Road Grant Funds
Resolution Spotlight
Opposition to Efforts to Prohibit County Legislative Communications
Throughout the last several legislative sessions, certain legislators have continued their efforts to obtain legislation to prohibit local officials and their nonprofit associations from communicating with the Texas Legislature, said CJCAT Senior General Counsel Jim Allison. “Using the term ‘taxpayer-funded lobbying,’ this legislation would bar local officials from expending … [Read more...] about Resolution Spotlight
Resolution Spotlight: Local Decision-Making and Revenue Caps
The ability to make decisions at the local level is dictated by the Texas Constitution. Texas counties must fulfill the responsibilities mandated by the State of Texas and must use approved revenue sources. Mandatory services include but are not limited to conducting elections, providing for public safety, processing and maintaining voter registration, maintaining and operating … [Read more...] about Resolution Spotlight: Local Decision-Making and Revenue Caps