Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Tom Green County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
14 issues in taxes budget
Employee Health Insurance Renewal
County employees keep their wellness incentives and can now stash $3,400 instead of $2,400 in a flexible spending account to cover medical costs tax-free.
Local Provider Participation Fund Admin Fee Request
The county collects mandatory payments from Shannon and Compass hospitals to draw down federal Medicaid matching funds for uninsured care. The court cut the rate from 5% to 2.5% because the fund already holds $28 million against a projected $26 million need for 2027. Taxpayers don't pay this — the hospitals do, and the money returns to them for care.
Local Provider Participation Fund (LPPF) Regulatory Updates
Nonpublic hospitals in Tom Green County will pay mandatory payments at a 2.5 rate to fund the Local Provider Participation Fund, which helps cover care for low-income patients. The court held a public hearing before voting.
Delinquent Court Fine Collections
Collection firm Purdue Brandon presented strong multi-year figures showing over $5.3 million collected and extensive docket clearance for Justice of the Peace courts, boosted by new text message outreach.
Concho Valley Public Defender Grant Policy
The county accepted two state improvement grants from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission to fund public defender core operations and expand services into the Big Country region.
Fiscal Year 2027 Proposed County Budget
The county wants a $0.47075 tax rate next year — $0.42294 for operations and $0.04781 for debt. Nothing is final yet: a public hearing on September 3 at 6 p.m. is your chance to weigh in before adoption.
Upcoming Tax Rate Hearing
County officials reminded residents that the public hearing on the proposed tax rate is scheduled for September 3rd at 6:00 PM.
Elected Official Salaries and Compensation
At Tax Assessor-Collector Becky Robles' request, the court will reconsider last week's proposal on possible increases to elected officials' pay — something to watch for a future meeting.
November 3, 2026 General Election ordered
The county has officially called its November 3 general election, setting election administration in motion for all county voters.
FY 2026 tax rate preparation
The court formally designated Auditor Nathan Cradduck to calculate the no-new-revenue and voter-approval tax rates — the first official step in this year's property tax process.
County Clerk summer hours pilot and land records digitization
The Clerk's office is trying shorter summer hours — Fridays ending at 2:15 p.m. — based on slow Friday traffic, with feedback welcome. Digitized historical deed books should be online before September.
Public Defender Grant Application and Staffing
The court debated applying for a 100% state grant to fund a data and logistics director for the public defender's office. While some commissioners questioned long-term costs and whether the role duplicates existing duties, supporters emphasized it is a temporary 100% grant that will improve operational efficiency across rural counties.
County Financial Audit FY 2025
The county's annual financial audit for fiscal year 2025 showed very healthy finances, featuring a $32.7 million unassigned fund balance and millions under budget.
Indigent Defense Grant Acceptance
The county accepted a $34,019 state grant from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission to fund a new coordinator position. This role will improve coordination between the jail, local attorneys, and courts while ensuring timely legal counsel for defendants.