No rain. No rain. Sounds like the crowd chant at Woodstock. Times were simpler back in the late 60’s. Nowadays, with runaway inflation, a President that don’t know what’s going on (and don’t care) and an ineffective Congress we are at the mercy of price gouging and a deflated dollar. I heard it was pride month last month…I’m proud of being an American, proud of my kids and grandkids, proud of where I am in life, proud of my accomplishments, proud of my wife…don’t believe I left anything out.
It’s Budget season all over and the taxing entities are going through the process of preparing for the next fiscal year. All of them are waiting on the final numbers from the Appraisal District. That means waiting until all of the 4,200 protests have been heard and resolved. Once that happens, tax rates can be set by these entities based on this Tax Base…the total value of all the properties in Medina County. THEN…you get the bill to fund them and keep these operating in the manner that they have decided on.
But first…the Appraisal District. The Appraisal Board is made up of common folk selected from various parts of the County and make the decisions that the Appraiser follows. Medina County has a representative on the Board (Melissa Lutz, our Tax Assessor/Collector) BUT, she has no vote on issues that come before the Board. The Chairman is Tim Hardt from the Castroville area, Vice Chairman is Jody Jacobs from Hondo, Secretary is Mamie Navarro from the Devine area, Cindy Segovia is from the Natalia area and Clay Bell is from the D’Hanis area. Medina County pays approximately 25% of the cost of running this operation with the rest spread out among the other taxing entities. Their total Budget is $1,559,155 with $1,021,855 going to salaries and benefits.
The Appraisal Board voted to give the Appraisal District employees a 7% pay raise this coming year. Don’t sound like much but….that means that Johnette Dixon, the Chief Appraiser, will be getting a $609.58 a month raise in pay bringing her annual salary to $111,815 (that figures out to be $53.75 per hour). The least paid employee in this Office will only get a $169.17 per month raise. I do not believe that the Chief Appraiser will have any problems paying for her increase in Appraisal with this kind of raise. I do not know (yet) if the increased Appraisals affected them like it has affected the rest of us. I believe that anyone can sit there and say “we’re going up 10% on appraisals” every year.
My Appraisal went up $56,490 from last year. The only thing that I have done to improve my residence is mow the grass and Sandy does that. This is absurd and downright criminal. My protest hearing is on July 8th. I believe that it is time to take a stand.
There has been an organization formed recently called the Medina County Taxpayers Association and I intend to be an active member. There is a way to be heard without marching in the streets, burning businesses or vandalism. These elected folks will listen when it comes election time and this includes State level Candidates. The time to sit back on your gluteus maximus and complain among friends has passed. Change needs to occur and why not start in Medina County America?
Commissioners Court is also in Budget mode. We have been listening to Department Heads presenting their ideas to us…some of them are wishful thinking and some are justified. When we get the final numbers, then we can set our tax rate. I am going to push for the Effective Tax Rate (a rate that brings in the same amount of money as the previous year). More on this later..running outta space.
Your Pct 4 crew is busy re-paving roads and trying to maintain the roadways during this heat. So, if you see them sitting in the truck taking a break, give em a little slack…its hotter’n the hinges of Hades out there.
Helped Butch Morgan (the bowling ball man) move some furniture that was too big for Eddie Hutzler’s room at the nursing home. Eddie has not lost a step…recognized me with a mask on. Butch, you are a good man and a better Christian. We had a short discussion on life and such with more to come. Mawmaw (Johnnie Faye Evans) turned 89 the other day and she ain’t lost a step neither. Sorry we missed your birthday celebration…