By Jeff West

SDN Staff Writer

West Texas county officials, including several from Scurry County, met in Midland recently to learn and voice concern about a proposal by Gov. Rick Perry to place a limit on local property tax hikes.

The elected officials gathered at the West Texas Judges and Commissioners Conference March 24 to develop a plan to oppose a proposal from Perry that would limit the amount of property tax and property valuation increase to no more than three percent a year.

“This started as a plan to help school districts, but no one at the conference could see how it would help schools,” said Rod Waller, Scurry County judge.

“It could actually end up crippling counties, however,” added Precinct 4 Commissioner Chloanne Lindsey, who also attended the meeting.

Judge Waller noted that the county already has to hold a public hearing if it intends to raise taxes by three percent or more. Any raise over eight percent introduces the possibility of a roll-back election.

According to a letter from the governor’s office, the purpose of the proposed limits is to provide Texans some property tax relief and to “protect them against unnecessary tax increases in the future.”

Judge Waller said that while no one likes tax increases, having the state dictate rates may not be the best way to go.

“The proposal seems to suggest the state has been more conservative than the counties in their spending,” he said. “The state mandates the things the counties must pay for and then gives us a list of what we can spend money for. They have also provided us with a number of unfunded mandates, programs it requires us to provide but doesn’t give us money to fund.”

Waller said the governor’s proposal promises to not have any more such mandates but doesn’t give relief for the programs already in place.

“It’s supposed to be a good program, but it can’t be a good program if it bankrupts the counties and the state,” said Lindsey.

The judge said that according to information provided at the conference, if the plan had been in effect from 1998-2002 the county would have lost more than $811,000 in revenue.

“If the plan goes into effect we will have to cut some programs, many of which affect the quality of life for our residents,” he said. “The library, senior citizen programs even the hospital could be affected.”

“People need to ask themselves what are we going to cut out,” Lindsey said.

Scurry County did not raise the tax rate for the current year but property valuations rose 7.9 percent increasing the amount the county collects.

“Just keeping up the county roads takes a lot of resources,” Waller said.

Lindsey said that 100 percent of the people she spoke with at the conference opposed the measure and felt the counties, cities and other taxing entities, including the schools, would oppose it as well.

“This seems like just more of the state telling us what we can spend our money on,” Waller said.

The Texas Municipal League also has voiced opposition on the proposed taxing limits.