Miss the snow yet?

Just another day closer to rain. Seems to have been that way for quite a while. Miss the snow yet?
Got a report this past week from our Veterans Service Officer indicating that their efforts to better serve our Veterans has been extremely successful. Even though we have lost in our Veteran population (down 24 from our previous number of 4,268) they have had an increase in benefits to the tune of $7.65 million.
Medina County’s participation in the Declaration of Local State of Disaster has been tabled until the Judge can address the language in the proposed Declaration as it had some untruths in it.
I had asked a month or so ago if we, as a County, could freeze taxes for the over 65 group like the School Districts currently do across the state. When I found out that we could, (the Legislation was passed in 2005 by 80% of the voters in Texas) I asked to put it on the Agenda.
I even drafted my Motion the day before the meeting so that there would be no mistake in the meaning. It read “..that Medina County freeze or limit the County taxes paid by homeowners age 65 and over to the tax rate and appraisal value in effect on October 1, 2022. Should the tax rate and/or appraisal cause the tax to be paid by homeowners 65 and over to decrease, then the County taxes owed will be the lesser of the two and frozen at that amount.” Never got to read the Motion…
There was standing room only in the Courtroom and it seemed that the only ones NOT in favor of the proposed Agenda item were sitting at the front of the room in the decision-making chairs. The law allows the County to freeze the taxes by a vote of Commissioners Court but, listening to the discussion it was clear that it would not pass by a vote of Commissioners Court.
Some addressed the issue that they would be voting on an item that would directly benefit them due to their age being 65 or over. I am over 65 and would have no problem voting on something like this that would benefit a large cross section of the residents of Medina County. To me, this argument don’t carry no water..
Anyhow, after some discussion it was decided that we would put this on the ballot in November and let the populace decide instead of taking care of it now. According to Judge Schuchart, we will meet and discuss this and the language to be on the ballot at a future meeting. Had I known this 10 years ago, I would have brought it up then.
I was flooded with calls in favor of this before and after the meeting. I can’t print some of the calls from after the meeting..
I believe that this will pass because if you aint 65 yet…you will be and nowadays, we need all the help we can get. So get ready for November…
The good news is that it is only 125 days until Christmas and 150 days until you have a new Commissioner. I am looking forward to both….