Last year, County Progress asked a group of county officials to share why they ran for office. Their responses reflect a desire to serve, a fondness for their constituents (a.k.a. friends and neighbors), and a commitment to quality of life. “I was raised in a household that believes in the motto of Service Above Self, and I wanted to give back and make Chambers County the … [Read more...] about Happy New Year! Time to Set Those County Resolutions
resolutions
Resolution Spotlight: County Local Option Revenue Sources
At the county level, property taxes are the primary source of funding for nearly every service counties rely on from law enforcement and public safety to maintaining vital records like birth certificates and marriage licenses, said Atascosa County Judge Weldon Cude. “In short – property taxes are the backbone of our budget,” Cude summarized. Counties cannot independently … [Read more...] about Resolution Spotlight: County Local Option Revenue Sources
Resolution Spotlight: Indigent Defense
The Texas Fair Defense Act of 2001 requires all Texas courts to establish procedures to provide court-appointed lawyers to indigent defendants. This legislation also established the Task Force on Indigent Defense, now the Texas Indigent Defense Commission (TIDC or Commission) to oversee indigent defense services and provide state grants to counties. Half of all criminal … [Read more...] about Resolution Spotlight: Indigent Defense
Resolution Spotlight
Mentally Incompetent Inmates
In many Texas counties, the county jail has become a de facto mental institution housing mentally ill inmates awaiting due process without their medications and/or life-sustaining therapies. Some 1,753 inmates in Texas county jails are awaiting transfer to state hospital beds, as reported by the Health and Human Services Commission to the Joint Committee on Access and … [Read more...] about Resolution Spotlight
Resolution Spotlight
The Resolutions adopted by the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas (CJCAT) originate among members of Commissioners Courts and serve as the CJCAT Legislative Platform. Resolution Spotlights are designed to explain the history behind the Association Resolutions. Rockwall County introduced the following spotlight. Municipal Utility Districts and Other Utility … [Read more...] about Resolution Spotlight