1 00:00:01,390 --> 00:00:12,010 All right. Good afternoon. It is August 24, 2026, 6 o'clock p.m., an act of county commissioners quarters now in session. If you'll please rise for the invocation by Commissioner Samantha Russell, pledge allegiance by Commissioner Gregson. 2 00:00:15,150 --> 00:00:19,650 Thank you so much for meeting this evening, Lord, I pray that you watch over every citizen 3 00:00:19,650 --> 00:00:24,050 and actor county, Lord, and just make us to make sure that we make the best decisions 4 00:00:24,050 --> 00:00:26,170 for actor county and for all of our citizens. 5 00:00:26,170 --> 00:00:28,270 We pray these things in Jesus name, amen. 6 00:00:28,570 --> 00:00:28,770 Amen. 7 00:00:29,310 --> 00:00:30,090 Please join me in the play. 8 00:00:57,580 --> 00:01:01,660 As with all meetings of the Ektro County Commission's Court it is a public meeting and we invite 9 00:01:01,660 --> 00:01:02,960 the public to participate. 10 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:07,700 If you wish to do so, we please ask you fill out a public participation form found at the front table. 11 00:01:07,960 --> 00:01:12,860 We ask you fill it out in its entirety and bring that forward to Jennifer Martin, who is our wonderful county clerk. 12 00:01:13,260 --> 00:01:16,100 And then she'll pass that along to me and record it into the minutes. 13 00:01:16,780 --> 00:01:18,440 You'll be afforded three minutes of time. 14 00:01:19,060 --> 00:01:20,840 Please adhere strictly to that time. 15 00:01:20,900 --> 00:01:23,380 We have some quite a few folks who would like to speak tonight. 16 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,740 Also, audience members, we do have some commissioner court rules. 17 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:32,180 We want to just discourage any loud cheering or anything of the sort. 18 00:01:32,180 --> 00:01:35,800 We allow it to some extent, but this is not your kid's T-Bull Game. 19 00:01:36,180 --> 00:01:39,400 This is a court hearing, so please respect that. 20 00:01:40,300 --> 00:01:45,320 All right, we do have number one is to receive public comments on non-agenda related items. 21 00:01:45,460 --> 00:01:47,980 We do have five folks who wish to speak. 22 00:01:48,380 --> 00:01:49,960 And so we will call for Mr. Jeff Russell. 23 00:01:56,530 --> 00:01:58,930 Good evening, Judge Fawcett, commissioners. 24 00:01:59,370 --> 00:02:01,910 I wanted to bring two things to the members of the place. 25 00:02:02,390 --> 00:02:02,890 Is that better? 26 00:02:03,410 --> 00:02:03,610 Yes. 27 00:02:03,850 --> 00:02:04,130 Okay. 28 00:02:04,130 --> 00:02:10,310 Okay, I wanted to bring two things before the court to not to make sure you guys were aware of what was going on. 29 00:02:12,690 --> 00:02:28,470 I followed a public information request on April the 29th, where I requested communications and meeting records involving Judge Palsett, his office, Zachary Zal, new air energy and digital and Texas critical data centers and the related entities. 30 00:02:29,230 --> 00:02:43,690 And instead of producing the records, extra county went to the Texas Attorney General and argued that the project communications should be withheld under the economic development exception in Section 552.131 of the Public Information Act. 31 00:02:44,230 --> 00:02:49,670 The county specifically argued that disclosure would harm ongoing negotiations involving this project. 32 00:02:49,670 --> 00:02:59,110 The attorney general has since ruled in that case and has ordered the county to turn over those responsive information to me. 33 00:02:59,570 --> 00:03:05,770 Since twice requested those documents to be turned over to me, I have twice not seen them. 34 00:03:06,830 --> 00:03:17,830 So it's very important that the county adhere to Texas law that attorney general has ruled those documents should be delivered and we need to get into why they have not yet been produced. 35 00:03:19,150 --> 00:03:20,270 Those have been produced? 36 00:03:20,690 --> 00:03:25,610 Yes, and we got the Attorney General letter about I think two weeks after Mr. Russell. 37 00:03:25,870 --> 00:03:29,630 We were actually trying to find it, we did get it, and those documents have been released. 38 00:03:29,630 --> 00:03:31,730 Mr. Russell, if you don't have them, please let us know. 39 00:03:31,890 --> 00:03:33,850 Okay, yeah, I haven't received them as of this afternoon. 40 00:03:33,990 --> 00:03:35,750 I don't know when they've been sent out, but thank you for that. 41 00:03:35,830 --> 00:03:36,950 Well, but we'll make sure we get them. 42 00:03:37,090 --> 00:03:37,730 Okay, thank you. 43 00:03:38,350 --> 00:03:44,710 The second thing is I'd like to talk about the new County Cemetery. 44 00:03:44,710 --> 00:03:54,370 There was comment made during the budget hearings by Commissioner Simmons that kind of alluded to the fact whether he wondered 45 00:03:55,130 --> 00:04:05,850 allowed whether the county moving forward with the new cemetery was even legal under Texas law. 46 00:04:05,850 --> 00:04:34,110 I did some digging into it and sent over to Miss Prentice my research, but it looks very much like the county may be in violation of Texas law and building a new cemetery, unless it's for the express and complete and only purpose of interning poppers, which the county is legally required to take care of. 47 00:04:34,110 --> 00:04:43,970 But I would really, really encourage the court to, until we get a written ruling out of our county attorney. 48 00:04:44,090 --> 00:04:54,890 More importantly, I think maybe a written ruling out of the Texas Attorney General's office to put a halt on that project, until it is determined that that project can legally move forward. 49 00:04:56,430 --> 00:04:57,550 Thank you. 50 00:04:57,770 --> 00:04:58,490 Thank you. 51 00:04:58,650 --> 00:05:00,370 Next we have Joanna Kees. 52 00:05:12,260 --> 00:05:12,480 Thank you. 53 00:05:13,860 --> 00:05:31,220 So I don't have a statement, I have some bullet points, so I went back and did my homework as far as what the county can and can't control for data centers and I broke it down into two to what the city has power to do and what the county has power to do so that way I can hit the right points. 54 00:05:31,220 --> 00:05:37,540 We've talked about tax abatements and negotiated agreements, and how counties can leverage economic incentives. 55 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:40,100 Chapter three, 12 tax abatements. 56 00:05:40,220 --> 00:05:45,880 Counties can contractually buying developers to specific local standards regarding noise mitigation, 57 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:49,420 vegetative screening, water recycling, and road repair. 58 00:05:51,780 --> 00:05:59,200 Temporary moratoriums, we've heard that didn't work in Hill County because those face strict legal scrutiny 59 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:04,840 and are meant to by time, rather than the service of permit ban, but I think we're all fine with like a temporary moratorium just so we can 60 00:06:05,460 --> 00:06:08,120 figure out how this is actually going to work. 61 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:15,280 Rodent infrastructure regulation, county, counties maintain explicit authority over county road usage, 62 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:18,220 overweight vehicle permits, and subdivision infrastructure. 63 00:06:18,660 --> 00:06:24,360 Commissioners can enforce strict bonding, weight limits, and repair mandates for heavy construction traffic. 64 00:06:25,140 --> 00:06:30,520 On site permitting, counties have direct regulatory oversight regarding on-site sewage facilities, 65 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:35,100 septic systems, and floodplain management, which would be an interesting question. 66 00:06:35,820 --> 00:06:37,100 I think here as far as flooding. 67 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:43,860 Commissioners can leverage new state level audit pauses from the governor's office. 68 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,220 Coordinate with the Texas Association of Counties and 69 00:06:47,220 --> 00:06:50,760 implement permitted local checklists for public safety, noise and infrastructure. 70 00:06:52,200 --> 00:07:09,700 Permining and development checklist, adopt objective local safety, road use, traffic and noise mitigation checklist that falls safely under existing statutory county road and public health authorities rather than ban county zoning joint county coalitions. 71 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:20,260 That's a thing, I am sort of learning about it now, counties can engage with the Texas Association of counties to participate in ongoing legislative roundtables and 72 00:07:20,260 --> 00:07:28,440 to coordinate joint pushes for statutory, local, authority for unincorporated areas ahead of the next legislative session. 73 00:07:29,380 --> 00:07:34,380 And then I have a little bit of information just to blur about revenue impact. 74 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:39,340 The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts estimates tax exemption for 75 00:07:39,340 --> 00:07:47,240 data centers have cost, have surged past 3.3 billion, that's a lot of money, we're throwing away. 76 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:52,720 Okay, that was the only points I had, I'm happy to send my research if anybody is interested. 77 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:53,920 Thank you. 78 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:54,640 Thank you. 79 00:07:58,170 --> 00:08:00,030 All right, next up we have Justin Malcolm. 80 00:08:10,260 --> 00:08:15,800 Good evening, I came here after work because I specifically was told that this is a more 81 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:21,880 direct avenue to talk about data centers and their harms on the environment and the working 82 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:22,680 population here. 83 00:08:23,220 --> 00:08:28,840 I have the privilege of doing deliveries in service of the oil field and I get to meet a lot 84 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:33,920 a lot of faces, a lot of people who love their families, love their work, work really hard. 85 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:40,740 And as someone who has raised the Christian, I believe that these data centers that support these new AI companies 86 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:48,300 are costing families and will raise prices on energy, on water, especially in this town, 87 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:53,100 where even West Odessa, water is a dire need. 88 00:08:53,100 --> 00:08:55,860 and data 89 00:08:58,220 --> 00:09:02,760 centers cost two to three million gallons of water. 90 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,380 They use two to three millions of gallons of water almost every day. 91 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:14,920 And AI itself has, AI itself 92 00:09:17,420 --> 00:09:20,960 is, if you're a parent, you have a son, 93 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:24,900 you have a daughter, AI, you know, they use this phone every day 94 00:09:24,900 --> 00:09:34,640 And they are able to access this app that can access the internet and can tell them things that, you know, as parents are concerning for us. 95 00:09:35,580 --> 00:09:48,160 And as, you know, a town, as a city, as a community, it's deeply concerning to me and it should be deeply concerning to everyone in this room who is really profiting off of these AI data centers. 96 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:53,540 And data centers will do nothing for this community, the things that this community needs. 97 00:09:53,780 --> 00:09:58,980 Especially in times of extreme cold and extreme heat with our electricity sometimes going out. 98 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:05,060 Intermittent blackouts, like cross town, even if it's just a small house, it's deeply concerning. 99 00:10:07,540 --> 00:10:16,540 And that's why if you're just someone who's in this town, someone who's working, if you're in this town and you're someone who's working, 100 00:10:16,540 --> 00:10:19,960 this should be deeply concerning for all of us. 101 00:10:20,620 --> 00:10:20,980 Thank you. 102 00:10:23,050 --> 00:10:24,550 Next, we have Jesse Poros. 103 00:10:35,130 --> 00:10:35,590 Good evening. 104 00:10:37,090 --> 00:10:40,630 I'm here to acknowledge to let everyone know. 105 00:10:40,750 --> 00:10:41,790 My name is Jesse Poros. 106 00:10:41,970 --> 00:10:43,930 I'm running for County Commissioner Precinct 4. 107 00:10:44,650 --> 00:10:50,350 I'm running because I believe the community serves someone who is willing to listen to the people work hard. 108 00:10:51,050 --> 00:10:53,590 And also I am a public servant community organizer. 109 00:10:53,970 --> 00:10:56,550 I also am military veteran. 110 00:10:56,550 --> 00:11:07,410 At the time, I want to let people know that I'm here to hear the concerns to do the best I can to acknowledge any of the problems that need to be resolved. 111 00:11:07,750 --> 00:11:18,810 I mean, there are going to be some problems that I can't give them an answer but I will do my best to find the answer or find a person that can give me the answer to acknowledge, to let the people know what's going on. 112 00:11:19,390 --> 00:11:23,910 Other than that, I am running for precinct four and I'm here to let the people know. 113 00:11:24,370 --> 00:11:24,910 Thank you. 114 00:11:24,910 --> 00:11:24,970 Thank you. 115 00:11:28,110 --> 00:11:29,110 Thank you, Ms. Forrest. 116 00:11:29,230 --> 00:11:30,410 Next, we have Francisco Morales. 117 00:11:48,100 --> 00:11:48,540 Hello. 118 00:11:48,740 --> 00:11:53,200 My name is Francisco Morales, and I'm here to tell the people who don't know that they want 119 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:55,500 to build AI data centers here in Nectar County. 120 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:59,340 Our elected officials have been meeting privately with these tech billionaires. 121 00:11:59,620 --> 00:12:04,540 They want to give them tax rates and they claim the data centers are going to build jobs, but 122 00:12:04,540 --> 00:12:04,880 they're not. 123 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,980 They make a small amount of jobs, and apart from that, AI is helping take away jobs. 124 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:13,520 AI has taken thousands of jobs, so do we really want to help them take more? 125 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:18,360 The data centers also release a ton of emissions, which are harmful to breathe in. 126 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:24,520 They are planning on making gas plants to create their own electricity, but at the cost of giving away our air. 127 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:26,760 Pickles is already getting a massive data center. 128 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:30,520 They are going to release more emissions than entire fucking countries. 129 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:32,060 Like this is fucking crazy, guys. 130 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:32,980 What the hell? 131 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:34,760 And then- 132 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:36,160 No, hey, that's- 133 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:37,320 Don't interrupt me, please. 134 00:12:37,580 --> 00:12:37,980 Don't interrupt. 135 00:12:38,380 --> 00:12:39,220 I will interrupt you. 136 00:12:39,220 --> 00:12:39,800 No, you will not. 137 00:12:39,980 --> 00:12:41,100 This is my time. 138 00:12:41,100 --> 00:12:45,220 No, it's in my time sir. I'm sorry you violated the rule of your time. Any more 139 00:12:45,800 --> 00:12:47,660 Francis go all that air is going to 140 00:12:47,660 --> 00:12:53,820 Go where we want to add more pollution to our air Francis go. We're going to have to ask you to remove 141 00:12:55,860 --> 00:13:00,900 Yeah, I haven't finished talking and I still have more time. No, you pause my time. I want to take my time 142 00:13:00,900 --> 00:13:06,300 I called a first amendment right and you should know about that 143 00:13:06,300 --> 00:13:10,140 You can be held in intensive court and be fine. 144 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:11,260 We really don't want to do that. 145 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:12,700 Please step away. 146 00:13:12,900 --> 00:13:13,720 Please step away. 147 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:14,280 You'll be held in. 148 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:15,160 Can you finish my comment? 149 00:13:15,300 --> 00:13:15,340 No. 150 00:13:15,420 --> 00:13:16,440 I'm not going to let you finish. 151 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:17,780 You violated those rules. 152 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:19,580 Please, please leave it. 153 00:13:20,060 --> 00:13:21,060 You're public serving. 154 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:22,100 What the hell is fine, Cisco? 155 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:23,200 Francisco. 156 00:13:23,700 --> 00:13:24,240 Talk to me. 157 00:13:24,700 --> 00:13:25,180 Step out here. 158 00:13:25,340 --> 00:13:25,980 We'll go ahead and talk. 159 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:26,960 I'm not done talking. 160 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:27,460 You're done. 161 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:28,780 No, I'm not. 162 00:13:29,060 --> 00:13:29,420 You're done. 163 00:13:29,940 --> 00:13:30,740 I have my time. 164 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:31,740 I want my time back. 165 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:34,720 Sir, you're Francisco. 166 00:13:35,300 --> 00:13:35,840 Please grab your hand. 167 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:44,140 I'm in the right. What's the Constitution? The Constitution? Let's go. It's done. Okay, Francisco. This is bullshit. No, sir 168 00:13:44,140 --> 00:13:50,520 It's not come on. I'm not gonna talk to me. Come on. Why would I talk to you? Are you voting on tax breaks? No, sir 169 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:56,140 Are you not? But you're in here. You're disrupting a meeting. It's a violation. It's a Texas. It is not there's nothing 170 00:13:56,140 --> 00:14:00,820 It's my public comment. It's my time. That is not disruption. I'm sorry, sir. I'm sorry. You believe that 171 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:06,880 Mr. Francisco, please. 172 00:14:07,220 --> 00:14:08,300 I'll collect my shit. 173 00:14:08,580 --> 00:14:09,660 I don't have to look at your 174 00:14:09,660 --> 00:14:10,300 shirts or sneakers. 175 00:14:11,220 --> 00:14:11,300 I'm not. 176 00:14:11,300 --> 00:14:12,360 You're doing your client my 177 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:13,400 paper that is mine. 178 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:16,440 Thank you. 179 00:14:18,700 --> 00:14:18,940 All right. 180 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:20,520 Next we have Donald Rutledge. 181 00:14:32,190 --> 00:14:33,150 Good evening. 182 00:14:33,790 --> 00:14:35,390 It's not worth buying me a 183 00:14:35,390 --> 00:14:36,450 partial guy, I get straight 184 00:14:36,450 --> 00:14:36,910 nature. 185 00:14:38,150 --> 00:14:38,790 I like to. 186 00:14:39,170 --> 00:14:40,230 I just need a microphone. 187 00:14:40,430 --> 00:14:40,570 I have to. 188 00:14:40,730 --> 00:14:42,010 Thank you. 189 00:14:42,250 --> 00:14:42,550 We're good. 190 00:14:42,830 --> 00:14:43,170 Good. 191 00:14:43,310 --> 00:14:44,810 All right. 192 00:14:46,430 --> 00:14:47,230 All right. 193 00:14:47,230 --> 00:14:54,130 As precinct one commissioner done for West Odessa, I've made numerous phone calls, 194 00:14:54,790 --> 00:14:59,030 left messages, been up here numerous times, no response. 195 00:15:00,020 --> 00:15:29,380 Our roads are destroyed. Congratulations on getting trip after the redone. You don't even see the 10th of the traffic that knocks us. That road is destroyed. It's carrying people's vehicles up. It's not designed for semi-santrax, anything we were loaded to the guild drill pot. I'm tired of sand trucks going down my alley. And up in front of my house. 196 00:15:29,380 --> 00:15:34,200 This is supposed to be a residential area, but it's not handled that way. 197 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:41,420 Reached I spent the last five years in Nigeria, which is considered a third world country. 198 00:15:42,980 --> 00:15:46,540 Westo Desert's Raperty becoming that third world country. 199 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:54,180 You have people, vagrants everywhere, little pop-up stores everywhere you look. 200 00:15:56,820 --> 00:15:58,780 I don't understand how we let this go. 201 00:16:00,460 --> 00:16:06,200 Recently, probably about a year and a half ago, my next door neighbor had some fishers. 202 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:08,140 Boyfriend came over angry. 203 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:11,380 He was strangling the girl. 204 00:16:12,100 --> 00:16:13,280 They called me to help. 205 00:16:14,060 --> 00:16:14,300 Of course. 206 00:16:15,380 --> 00:16:16,560 I'm a gun with me. 207 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:17,600 Equit. 208 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:19,200 We call the shares. 209 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:22,840 I want to have later they finally show up. 210 00:16:24,290 --> 00:16:25,600 We have no law enforcement. 211 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:34,160 We have too many of the 18-wheelers drivers do not belong on the road at all. 212 00:16:34,660 --> 00:16:43,180 Just coming to this meeting on Knox, I've let some quarter mile from the interstate, had 213 00:16:43,180 --> 00:16:48,120 to wait on seven sand trucks just so I get on the service room. 214 00:16:49,460 --> 00:16:57,980 this is just good ridiculous probably close to 20 years ago I got a letter along 215 00:16:57,980 --> 00:17:04,820 with the rest is my area from the county if you give us $2,500 right now 216 00:17:04,820 --> 00:17:11,640 when we install water lines you don't have to pay for the hookup but you 217 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:18,020 have to plug your water well you don't want to plug my water well we still have 218 00:17:18,020 --> 00:17:18,860 I have water at there either. 219 00:17:19,640 --> 00:17:20,700 That's 20 years later. 220 00:17:22,830 --> 00:17:26,730 They talk about how water's precious, yeah it is. 221 00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:30,900 The main thing is I'd like to see some action. 222 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:32,640 More than anything else. 223 00:17:34,510 --> 00:17:35,590 Thank you very much. 224 00:17:35,930 --> 00:17:38,310 Mr. Rutledge, just for a clarifying statement, 225 00:17:38,890 --> 00:17:40,710 that letter did not come from the county, 226 00:17:40,830 --> 00:17:43,410 that either came from me or the water supply company 227 00:17:43,410 --> 00:17:44,850 that was looking at getting started out there. 228 00:17:44,930 --> 00:17:47,630 We've heard similar statements with that $2,500 is not. 229 00:17:47,630 --> 00:17:48,490 I misspoke, yeah. 230 00:17:48,530 --> 00:17:50,890 And I will say then I look forward to hearing yours 231 00:17:50,890 --> 00:17:54,130 And those folks who said amen to more law enforcement to supporting our budget. 232 00:17:54,210 --> 00:17:57,110 We've put more money in law enforcement and more money in roads. 233 00:17:57,170 --> 00:18:00,790 We've put $8 million in road construction, $4 million in road maintenance, and 234 00:18:00,790 --> 00:18:07,010 $2 million in funding additional road studies to expand roads like Moss have a new like trip and like Knox. 235 00:18:08,110 --> 00:18:10,710 Moss did a great on trip, nobody goes down. 236 00:18:10,790 --> 00:18:12,390 And we should have some water coming down. 237 00:18:12,950 --> 00:18:13,710 We don't want it. 238 00:18:13,790 --> 00:18:14,230 Towards Knox. 239 00:18:14,630 --> 00:18:15,190 We don't want it. 240 00:18:15,310 --> 00:18:15,530 Okay. 241 00:18:15,530 --> 00:18:25,350 Because when extra counties, you feel these just came in, took over, everybody's water right doubled, not worth it. 242 00:18:26,430 --> 00:18:27,330 Thank you for coming. 243 00:18:28,250 --> 00:18:32,130 All right, that concludes our public participation format. 244 00:18:32,290 --> 00:18:35,290 We will move on to item number two, public hearing. 245 00:18:35,370 --> 00:18:43,630 To consider discussing any serious action to conduct a public hearing on the proposed budget for fiscal year 2026-2027. 246 00:18:43,630 --> 00:18:45,930 We do have two members of the public who wish to participate. 247 00:18:46,490 --> 00:18:47,150 Mr. Jeff Russell. 248 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:54,700 I must be your favorite judge, I get to go first every time. 249 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:02,820 You know, as we look at the budget, I think when we start as average citizens and we start 250 00:19:02,820 --> 00:19:07,760 looking at these numbers and we see hundreds of millions of dollars, I think a lot of times 251 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:11,320 we have a hard time relating to that in our day-to-day lives. 252 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:14,080 Those are numbers we don't typically deal with. 253 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:18,600 But I want to give you a number tonight that I think bears some scrutiny. 254 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:27,560 That number is 95,795, so roughly $96,000, that's what the county, when you take all the 255 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:33,240 funded positions, and you look at their salaries and all the benefits that go with it, that's 256 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:39,320 the average amount that county employees get for a funded position, so $96,000. 257 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:48,780 dollars. Of that, 44% of that comes in the form of benefits. So retirement alone is 258 00:19:48,780 --> 00:19:56,360 about $10.5 million a year. Healthcare insurance is another $9.1 million. And it isn't simply 259 00:19:56,360 --> 00:20:00,920 because the county has hired dramatically more people. I looked at a five year, I went back 260 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:06,020 over and did a pretty deep dive on last five years budget. And over those five budget 261 00:20:06,020 --> 00:20:13,980 year's, funded positions increased about 10% but payroll has increased about 34% and total 262 00:20:13,980 --> 00:20:21,600 personnel costs increased nearly 29% or about $18 million additional. Payroll itself, just the 263 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:28,180 payroll number, not the number, 34%. You know, as you look at that, so I said, okay, it was 264 00:20:28,180 --> 00:20:33,920 this comparison, so I looked at our school district. So the county's at 96, the school district 265 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:45,600 is right at $20,000 per employee less in total FTE and in compensation, about 26% less than the county. 266 00:20:46,500 --> 00:20:50,220 When you look at health insurance, a lot of this has been driven by health insurance. 267 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:59,160 When you look at that, then county employees contribute a very small amount to their own employee coverage and 268 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:04,320 Our family coverage is really low at about $260 a month for a family coverage. 269 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:09,940 To give you a comparison of that, my wife just recently moved from ECISD to MISD. 270 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:18,000 And in order to get me on her insurance, we had to add about $1,200 a month just for me. 271 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:19,820 No kids, just her spouse. 272 00:21:20,380 --> 00:21:24,780 $1,200 in the county that would cost me about $1,000 less if she were a county employee. 273 00:21:24,780 --> 00:21:29,800 way. So I think you can see how things have kind of gotten out of whack over time as we 274 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:34,660 have moved to every budget cycle we've been giving increases and some of them quite large 275 00:21:34,660 --> 00:21:40,720 increases. We've really kind of gone above that level. I think County employees ought to be 276 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:46,900 paid fairly absolutely. But I think it ought to bear some semblance to what's going on in 277 00:21:46,900 --> 00:21:50,880 the product sector. We hear this discussion a lot, private sector, brochures, public sector. 278 00:21:50,880 --> 00:22:02,120 By my best analysis, county employees at 96,000, they make more than about 65% of the tax payers that are helping to fund those positions. 279 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:04,320 So I think if there's a place to- 280 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:04,540 Thank you Ms. Russell. 281 00:22:04,780 --> 00:22:07,900 Yeah, I think if there's a place to cut, that might be one good place to look. 282 00:22:10,740 --> 00:22:12,760 Next we have Ms. Bobby. 283 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:15,660 Bobby Duncan. 284 00:22:17,100 --> 00:22:17,760 He's Dana. 285 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:19,620 I know she is. 286 00:22:32,740 --> 00:22:34,800 And I know how to use a microphone. 287 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:39,280 First of all, let me tell you. 288 00:22:39,660 --> 00:22:40,600 Thank you for serving. 289 00:22:43,130 --> 00:22:44,350 You don't ever get thanks. 290 00:22:44,530 --> 00:22:45,170 So thanks. 291 00:22:45,670 --> 00:22:48,610 Now I'm here to crucify you. 292 00:22:49,310 --> 00:22:49,910 I 293 00:22:52,120 --> 00:22:53,720 have a retired teacher. 294 00:22:55,970 --> 00:23:00,670 I spent a hundred years in the classroom, really 43. 295 00:23:00,670 --> 00:23:14,910 at ECISD and I retired and would be today I get less take-home pay than I did 25 years ago. 296 00:23:15,050 --> 00:23:22,350 I first retired and that's because the State of Texas doesn't like us and I hope you like your 297 00:23:22,350 --> 00:23:31,450 employees better than they like us, because a 2% raise is 2% of nothing. 298 00:23:33,730 --> 00:23:35,630 It won't buy bag of groceries. 299 00:23:36,470 --> 00:23:43,610 It certainly is not going to pay the proposed tax increase that you're going to impose 300 00:23:43,610 --> 00:23:46,570 for the citizens of extra county or you hope to. 301 00:23:49,980 --> 00:23:54,380 It's going to affect everybody at every level. 302 00:23:54,380 --> 00:24:03,420 If they pay $200 a month for a one-room shack that rents going up and they won't be able to buy groceries. 303 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:15,520 If they pay $10,000 a month, they might be able to afford a tax increase and still buy groceries. 304 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:23,860 So please, 2% is a drop in the bucket of what people need to live. 305 00:24:25,140 --> 00:24:29,900 I don't know how many of you men go to the grocery store, but I know Miss Russell does. 306 00:24:32,600 --> 00:24:36,260 I walked out the other day with two bags of groceries that I thought I was lucky. 307 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:37,480 I just paid $50. 308 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:44,400 It's pretty hard out there, folks, and your employees deserve to raise. 309 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:49,940 but there's a special group of employees and one of our previous commentator 310 00:24:49,940 --> 00:24:58,060 made comment about it. Our sheriff's department is understaffed, overworked, 311 00:24:58,060 --> 00:25:05,160 and underpaid. You compare their salaries to that of Midland and those in Martin County. 312 00:25:07,540 --> 00:25:10,800 We can't get people. They're going to go there. 313 00:25:13,330 --> 00:25:17,230 A 2% raise for somebody who risked 314 00:25:17,230 --> 00:25:26,230 His or her life is like giving one peanut to me for a treat. 315 00:25:26,870 --> 00:25:28,250 That's about what it is. 316 00:25:30,230 --> 00:25:33,470 So let's look at the budget again, please. 317 00:25:34,690 --> 00:25:40,310 Get that raise up for those people who risk their lives for us. 318 00:25:40,830 --> 00:25:44,670 For this county every single day, thank you. 319 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,540 So some notable numbers on the budget, again, thank you, Ms. Duncan. 320 00:25:52,660 --> 00:25:58,820 In regards to this budget of the 60 general fund accounts, we have 60 different departments and 321 00:25:58,820 --> 00:25:59,520 different accounts. 322 00:25:59,620 --> 00:26:02,620 Some departments have multiple, like Ms. Martin over there in the county clerk, she has multiple. 323 00:26:04,820 --> 00:26:08,600 19 of those 60 saw decreases this year from last year. 324 00:26:08,940 --> 00:26:12,860 Overall, we're cutting about $5 million out of the general fund and expenditures this year. 325 00:26:12,860 --> 00:26:19,200 Here, 19 of those 60 general fund accounts, or I mentioned saw decreases 30 or half of the accounts. 326 00:26:19,360 --> 00:26:29,860 So an increase under 3% as Miss Duncan mentioned, that's likely due to the 2% increase in salaries, just to keep folks working here in public service. 327 00:26:30,660 --> 00:26:40,960 And then 11 of those 60 against all over 3% and some of those were expanding the duties, expanding the offices, adding personnel where it was needed. 328 00:26:40,960 --> 00:26:49,960 Some of those notable functions are the county attorney getting a public information officer to handle the public information requests as Mr. Russell mentioned. 329 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:57,740 We had over 300 of those public information requests come in over 45 days span and one person is handling all of those. 330 00:26:57,740 --> 00:27:04,600 Each one of those require legal documentation, redactions, correspondence with the attorney general's office, correspondence with the county attorney's office. 331 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:07,760 And we continue to be flooded by those. 332 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:13,780 We did see a reduction in staff in the JP 3 and 4 offices who have been underperforming. 333 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:26,880 The tax assessor collector did receive two additional staff because we are seeing an additional 1100 new registered vehicles from out of state registers come to Ector County per year. 334 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:32,800 That's 1100 new vehicles from folks out of the state who knows how many from inside of the state we do not know. 335 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:36,700 But we figured that we would add two to Miss Lindy's office. 336 00:27:37,580 --> 00:27:42,280 And then another note, we did cut $1 million in the building maintenance fund. 337 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:50,720 We are preparing for new facilities and we did not think it just to continue to spend at those high levels whenever we are building new facilities. 338 00:27:50,740 --> 00:27:55,100 And that was part of the reason and that compact that we had with the citizens in building new facilities. 339 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:57,260 So those are some important things. 340 00:27:57,260 --> 00:28:02,240 Again, our general fund expends this year is $80 million, $867,120. 341 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:12,760 We will see a $1.8 million surplus, or add the LORM levy in the general fund is $67,268,777. 342 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:18,880 A decrease of $1.4 million from $68,754,339. 343 00:28:19,500 --> 00:28:24,360 I'll go over the tax rate here in a minute, but I wanted y'all to understand those things, that it takes a lot to fund government. 344 00:28:24,360 --> 00:28:27,180 You heard two different aspects of the employees. 345 00:28:27,180 --> 00:28:30,020 The county does do a 2% raise across the board. 346 00:28:30,500 --> 00:28:34,260 We this year had very few that were outside of that 2% raise. 347 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:36,700 We had a struggle with law enforcement. 348 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:39,620 We did look at what Midland County is doing right now. 349 00:28:39,740 --> 00:28:46,020 We are well under $10,000 less than what Midland County offers their starting deputies. 350 00:28:46,380 --> 00:28:48,020 That is a challenge that we face. 351 00:28:48,300 --> 00:28:51,120 One of those things that we do offer is a tremendous benefit package. 352 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:59,040 And we have a rich history in Ector County of offering that, and that's a program that we discuss with our employees that we try to advertise. 353 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:04,660 Now again to employees, it's hard to worry about the benefit package in your retirement package when you can't pay the bills. 354 00:29:05,020 --> 00:29:07,120 And so we also know that that is a reality. 355 00:29:07,380 --> 00:29:12,980 So that is something that this commissioner's court weighs every single time that we look at salaries, we look at competitive markets. 356 00:29:13,480 --> 00:29:15,420 And we look at those folks who we are employing. 357 00:29:15,420 --> 00:29:21,560 There's folks in the county clerk's office in Jennifer Martin's office that as soon as five o'clock kids they got to go run to their second job. 358 00:29:22,060 --> 00:29:25,860 And a lot of them are on government subsidy because of those salaries. 359 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:30,840 And it's just a challenge that we navigate and so we do try to offer those competitive benefit packages. 360 00:29:31,580 --> 00:29:34,860 Again, this year, we'll talk about the tax rate here in a second. 361 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:38,060 We did lower the tax rate, or we are proposing to lower the tax rate. 362 00:29:38,300 --> 00:29:41,140 And again, we did lower those expenditures as well. 363 00:29:41,140 --> 00:29:50,900 while still continuing to offer a well-funded actor county that is providing the services that we think is at par with what the community expects. 364 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:59,820 Okay, we'll move on to item number three to consider discussed to gain a serious action to conduct a public hearing on the proposed. 365 00:30:01,220 --> 00:30:28,740 So I will talk about the tax rate briefly. So the proposed tax rate is 0.437469. That's a hard number to kind of comprehend per $100 valuation. It is a slight decrease from last year where it was 0.43895. So it's a decrease of 0.001481. I'm sorry, real quick. We have to close out the first public hearing to the budget. Okay. I'll entertain a motion to close out the first public hearing on the budget. 366 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:31,980 So motion by commission or all second by commission, 367 00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:32,940 a gardener for the discussion? 368 00:30:33,380 --> 00:30:34,780 All the favour, sitting five by saying aye. 369 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:35,280 Aye. 370 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:36,180 Others opposed same side? 371 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:37,340 Motion passes five, zero. 372 00:30:37,500 --> 00:30:38,580 My apologies, thank you, Ms. Prentice. 373 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:40,560 All right, number three to consider discussing 374 00:30:40,560 --> 00:30:41,820 any serious action to conduct public hearing 375 00:30:41,820 --> 00:30:44,820 on the proposed ad volume tax rate for fiscal year 2026, 2027. 376 00:30:45,640 --> 00:30:47,120 So what does that mean for the average taxpayer 377 00:30:47,540 --> 00:30:49,760 whenever it comes to that decrease? 378 00:30:50,060 --> 00:30:51,420 Is it a massive decrease, no? 379 00:30:51,940 --> 00:30:53,840 But it is one that we are able to do, 380 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:57,380 and it is one that we want to be able to do. 381 00:30:57,380 --> 00:31:05,920 And so, on a $200,000 home that is the equivalent of $2.96, not a lot, but it's something, and we're trying. 382 00:31:06,480 --> 00:31:10,040 Again, we're facing the same cost increase that you are at home. 383 00:31:10,580 --> 00:31:14,700 I know I have three children, groceries are a lot, diapers are a lot, these things are expensive. 384 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:19,360 But also, so are government goods, road materials, are a rising increase. 385 00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:23,940 We have to buy paper and book, paper prices increase, postage increases. 386 00:31:23,940 --> 00:31:27,440 But we're still trying to stay within our limited means and our limited budget. 387 00:31:27,460 --> 00:31:33,780 As mentioned before, half of our department stayed within that 3% metric and under 3%. 388 00:31:33,780 --> 00:31:40,720 And Governor Abbott is championing a deal statewide asking every single agency to stay beneath or have a 3% cut. 389 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:43,780 And so we took that seriously and tried to stay within that 3% growth. 390 00:31:44,580 --> 00:31:52,320 So the tax rate again, the MNO rate last year was 0.3295, we were keeping the same MNO tax rate this year. 391 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:57,260 It's something that we have either maintained or continued to decrease Commissioner Gardner, yes, that question. 392 00:31:57,740 --> 00:32:03,360 We have found ways to operate government within the same tax rate since we've been in office. 393 00:32:03,820 --> 00:32:07,180 The only thing that has increased and yes, last year was a tax increase. 394 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:14,740 That was for the courthouse and for the juvenile justice facility, these large-scale facilities that weren't getting any cheaper ladies and gentlemen. 395 00:32:15,100 --> 00:32:20,960 This is basic infrastructure that, again, was taxing our building maintenance team, that was costing taxpayers more. 396 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:23,960 And again, those were facilities that we're going to need to be built. 397 00:32:24,800 --> 00:32:28,800 And the least expensive, it's not the cheapest, promise me, it's not a cheap facility. 398 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:33,840 We all know we've seen the amount of zeros tied to that courthouse and through the juvenile detention facility. 399 00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:36,100 But it was never going to go down and cost. 400 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:40,560 And so this was the least expensive of the actions we could take. 401 00:32:40,820 --> 00:32:41,760 Again, we knew it was inevitable. 402 00:32:42,420 --> 00:32:45,020 But that was last year, this year, again, we lowered that tax rate. 403 00:32:45,300 --> 00:32:47,840 But that was only the INS that did see that increase. 404 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:51,320 We lowered last year the MNO tax rate this year, again, we left it the same. 405 00:32:51,580 --> 00:32:53,500 We lowered the INS, which is our debt service. 406 00:32:54,200 --> 00:32:55,800 So that is what we did with our tax rate. 407 00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:57,180 That is at least what we are proposing. 408 00:32:57,560 --> 00:33:02,720 We will affirm both the budget and the tax rate tomorrow upon our official commissioners' 409 00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:03,200 court hearing. 410 00:33:03,500 --> 00:33:04,960 We invite you to participate. 411 00:33:05,100 --> 00:33:06,340 It is going to be a lengthy agenda. 412 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:07,720 There's over 50 agenda items. 413 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:11,900 So thank you all for coming here today and discussing that with us. 414 00:33:12,380 --> 00:33:16,380 With that being said, we will open it up now to discuss the tax rate. 415 00:33:16,380 --> 00:33:20,680 We do have some folks who wish to speak and we will stick with the theme and bring forward Mr. Jeff Russell 416 00:33:25,670 --> 00:33:30,110 Not often you get to be first and everything I tell you every time every time 417 00:33:31,150 --> 00:33:38,550 But you know, I think when we look at our history of tax rights not only with extra county with with our other taxing entities 418 00:33:39,110 --> 00:33:41,330 What we see has been a steady 419 00:33:41,890 --> 00:33:45,130 trajectory upward over the last number of years and 420 00:33:45,130 --> 00:33:54,310 And I know this is becoming an increasingly important part of what the legislature is proposing to look at this next year. 421 00:33:54,490 --> 00:34:04,030 You know, I set on the legislative priorities committee for the Republican Party of Texas, and we heard so much testimony from local taxpayers saying, 422 00:34:04,030 --> 00:34:07,330 please, can you help us somehow rein in our local governments? 423 00:34:08,690 --> 00:34:14,030 It doesn't matter how much money we have, and they always need more. 424 00:34:14,030 --> 00:34:21,210 I get it. There's always needs. But you know the other part that I would point out out of the 425 00:34:21,930 --> 00:34:27,710 soliloquy that Judge Fawcett gave on all that, you know what he doesn't talk about too is the huge 426 00:34:27,710 --> 00:34:32,970 amount of additional revenue that has come into the county because of the tax assistance district. 427 00:34:33,750 --> 00:34:39,470 As far exceeded what was planned which was about 15 million hour up to 30 million in climbing, 428 00:34:40,330 --> 00:34:46,490 That's great, that's sales tax money, I like sales tax, much better than property tax. 429 00:34:47,070 --> 00:34:50,850 It's much water dispersed, doesn't impact people who own homes. 430 00:34:51,770 --> 00:34:58,310 But some of that money needs to go to offset some of these things that are, and I understand 431 00:34:58,310 --> 00:35:00,410 the rules of how it can only be spent within the tech. 432 00:35:00,850 --> 00:35:07,350 But there can be a lot of shuffling of the shells in order to help cut our property tax rates. 433 00:35:07,350 --> 00:35:16,390 rates. So I would really encourage this court, go to the new revenue tax rate at the very 434 00:35:16,390 --> 00:35:22,310 least this year as you contemplate this year's tax rate. That will bring in the same amount 435 00:35:22,310 --> 00:35:27,270 of money. You'll still be taking more money because the sales tax assistance district keeps 436 00:35:27,270 --> 00:35:34,550 growing. So you're going to have additional money. Also, you get the advantage of all the 437 00:35:34,550 --> 00:35:38,170 additional property values that have been added in new construction and whatnot. 438 00:35:38,710 --> 00:35:43,110 So I would really encourage you, let's keep it at the no-new revenue tax rate. 439 00:35:43,290 --> 00:35:44,930 Give everybody a small break, thank you. 440 00:35:45,730 --> 00:35:46,110 Thank you. 441 00:35:47,630 --> 00:35:53,570 An additional note that I wanted to mention regarding some tax rates, and again I like to add perspective in comparisons. 442 00:35:53,570 --> 00:35:58,470 Again, we throw out a $43 and some change per $100 valuation, what does that mean? 443 00:35:59,490 --> 00:36:04,310 I broke out some similar counties, we know our neighbors in Tom Green County, which is San Angelo. 444 00:36:04,310 --> 00:36:07,410 So their tax rate is about $0.04 higher. 445 00:36:07,710 --> 00:36:08,550 So what does that mean? 446 00:36:08,690 --> 00:36:15,430 It's about a $66 more annually that they pay $60.56 on a $200,000 home. 447 00:36:15,950 --> 00:36:17,390 And so that's a good comparison. 448 00:36:17,570 --> 00:36:23,710 Taylor County, which is Abilene, is at a $53.14 per $100 valuation. 449 00:36:24,410 --> 00:36:29,870 So you would actually be paying on a similar home, $187.86 more. 450 00:36:30,530 --> 00:36:33,590 Which is tall county, which is which is tall falls again similar in population. 451 00:36:34,250 --> 00:36:42,810 There's is 53.0644, so you'd be paying $186 in 35 cents more on a $200,000 home. 452 00:36:43,090 --> 00:36:46,070 And again, if your home is more or less, you can adjust those rates. 453 00:36:46,610 --> 00:36:55,590 And then Potter County is proposing a 62.215 cent tax rate, and that would be $369 and 36 cents. 454 00:36:55,590 --> 00:37:07,930 So again, just in perspective, we are aware that our neighbors to the East and Midland County have a much lower tax rate, but I'd like to remind folks that they have more oil and gas minerals on their tax roles than our entire county all combined. 455 00:37:08,470 --> 00:37:19,930 So it is not a fair equilibrium, no county can really compare with Midland County is quite a challenge, but there are some equitable counties and so understand, and it's not one to say that taxes still are not high. 456 00:37:20,290 --> 00:37:24,650 We understand that, and again, that's why we try this good faith effort to lower your taxes. 457 00:37:25,690 --> 00:37:27,250 Next, we have Jim Moody. 458 00:37:27,630 --> 00:37:28,450 No, I decline. 459 00:37:28,950 --> 00:37:29,830 Okay, thank you, Mr. Moody. 460 00:37:29,990 --> 00:37:30,370 Thank you for coming. 461 00:37:31,410 --> 00:37:32,890 All right, we have Christina samples. 462 00:37:49,890 --> 00:37:52,690 Thank you, Samantha Russell, for pushing for an evening meeting. 463 00:37:53,030 --> 00:37:53,430 So, everyone, please. 464 00:37:53,550 --> 00:37:54,470 Mr. Microphone, please. 465 00:37:57,110 --> 00:37:58,170 Can you hear me better? 466 00:38:00,820 --> 00:38:03,380 Thank you, Mr. Samantha Russell, for pushing for an evening meeting. 467 00:38:03,760 --> 00:38:06,700 And thank you, everyone, for your time, for listening to myself and other taxpayers 468 00:38:06,700 --> 00:38:08,000 to voice their concerns. 469 00:38:08,900 --> 00:38:11,240 I would like to take a moment to talk about the property taxes. 470 00:38:12,520 --> 00:38:18,560 Most of us have to work hard to own a home, to buy a home, and then harder to pay it off. 471 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:26,180 We have to pay property taxes to stay in our paid off home, or we can lose our home if we do not. 472 00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:31,100 Everyone in this area does not work in the oil field, and we are not all making six figures. 473 00:38:31,600 --> 00:38:35,700 Most of us are making a list in 50,000 a year and have to budget everything. 474 00:38:36,260 --> 00:38:38,060 Some of us are even working more than one job. 475 00:38:38,060 --> 00:38:46,720 We have many that are also security and disability and they're making around $1,200 a month and they're having to decide what they're going to pay this month and what they have to put off. 476 00:38:47,600 --> 00:38:53,120 So yes, a few cents per hundred added on, you know, here, there doesn't matter. 477 00:38:54,860 --> 00:39:04,700 Okay, what has been happening is is, you know, those few cents per hundred get added and then a few months later, our appraisals come around and the value on our homes go up. 478 00:39:04,700 --> 00:39:07,860 So, therefore, now we're paying a little bit more. 479 00:39:08,580 --> 00:39:12,520 Along with that, and we all know our home insurance and everything else goes up as well. 480 00:39:14,140 --> 00:39:23,480 Okay, I do not think that some of you, personally, I've ever really had to worry about being in a funding patch. 481 00:39:23,880 --> 00:39:28,540 As I do think that maybe you would understand the more importance of a well-worked budget. 482 00:39:29,060 --> 00:39:46,980 I believe that everything needs to be re-looked at as you can start by dialing back the plans for the courthouse still some of the 50 plus acres that we bought years ago where they offer 285 where they wanted to build the courthouse along with the detention center and we only ended up putting the detention center. 483 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:51,280 Raw land right now is selling for over $80,000 a acre. 484 00:39:51,900 --> 00:39:57,740 There's over 70,000 acres sitting over there extra that we could sell off. 485 00:39:58,100 --> 00:40:01,660 We could also look at other properties that extra county owns that we do not use. 486 00:40:02,620 --> 00:40:07,740 I also believe that when you get married at the courthouse minus the certification funds, 487 00:40:08,260 --> 00:40:13,920 that money right now that judges get into pocket that maybe they should keep that there for 488 00:40:13,920 --> 00:40:18,000 or some other funding unless they're doing the ceremony off the princes. 489 00:40:19,420 --> 00:40:21,380 We do not have money left in our budget. 490 00:40:23,800 --> 00:40:26,860 If you don't have money then say next year they're going to take less out. 491 00:40:26,980 --> 00:40:28,320 Maybe they need to do it away with that. 492 00:40:28,460 --> 00:40:34,300 Look at the problem areas of all the spending that's going on in the last few months to kind of see where the problems are at. 493 00:40:35,240 --> 00:40:41,680 We do need to go back and check the crappy road work that's being done and prior to us paying them. 494 00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:45,980 Because most of the time, it's worse after they fixed it. 495 00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:53,860 And I know that there's also new talks about six million dollars fixing to go to the health center that they're wanting to move. 496 00:40:54,080 --> 00:40:56,540 I think that we need to not do everything at once. 497 00:40:56,540 --> 00:40:57,500 We can't do it all. 498 00:40:57,800 --> 00:40:58,440 Thank you, Miss Samples. 499 00:40:58,660 --> 00:40:59,000 Thank you. 500 00:40:59,180 --> 00:40:59,480 Thank you. 501 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:01,440 Next we have Bobby Duncan. 502 00:41:19,820 --> 00:41:23,320 Somebody stole part of my stuff, so I'm going to start right here. 503 00:41:25,930 --> 00:41:27,410 We're talking about taxes. 504 00:41:27,410 --> 00:41:40,640 I checked at 4 o'clock this afternoon, and the price of a barrel of oil is $83, okay? 505 00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:48,380 They're all fuel trucks, those heavy dudes that we said at the traffic lights waiting to pass, 506 00:41:49,460 --> 00:41:51,800 who are ruining our county roads. 507 00:41:53,140 --> 00:41:57,280 I don't know if there's any way possible, but 508 00:41:58,380 --> 00:42:05,080 Could we put up a toll road or something for them to think how any big is we would break 509 00:42:05,080 --> 00:42:05,460 in? 510 00:42:07,730 --> 00:42:12,790 I feel sorry for the people in maintenance who try to keep those roads going, because 511 00:42:12,790 --> 00:42:18,010 the streets are awful because of the roads they can travel on. 512 00:42:18,010 --> 00:42:28,970 A little more research and some math gave me this data in April of 2026. 513 00:42:30,690 --> 00:42:37,390 After County produced 1.6 million barrels of oil. 514 00:42:37,390 --> 00:42:44,810 If we take today's price, 87 cents a barrel, 83, whatever, 515 00:42:46,880 --> 00:42:51,020 just what that was, 140 516 00:42:53,130 --> 00:42:54,570 million, 517 00:42:57,090 --> 00:42:59,070 140 million a month, 518 00:43:02,270 --> 00:43:07,470 I had to really count the zeros, I don't count that I, I don't think you do either. 519 00:43:07,470 --> 00:43:08,390 And 520 00:43:10,660 --> 00:43:16,160 if we take a 12 month estimate, can you guess what it is? 521 00:43:18,590 --> 00:43:25,830 1 billion, 680,000 million dollars. 522 00:43:26,670 --> 00:43:28,130 Now, billion, 523 00:43:32,690 --> 00:43:33,710 where's our cut? 524 00:43:36,070 --> 00:43:37,230 Where is it? 525 00:43:37,710 --> 00:43:42,030 Those big corporations are eating us dry. 526 00:43:43,250 --> 00:43:45,770 They're taking everything away from us. 527 00:43:45,770 --> 00:43:48,130 They're messing up the environment. 528 00:43:48,850 --> 00:43:54,150 Our environmental people work night and day trying to keep a long task to keep those 529 00:43:54,150 --> 00:43:57,190 drill sites clean and possible. 530 00:43:59,510 --> 00:44:04,090 I know a lot of the money goes to public schools. 531 00:44:04,690 --> 00:44:06,270 That's the Robin Hood law. 532 00:44:06,990 --> 00:44:10,270 It hurts actor County, of course, tremendously. 533 00:44:11,650 --> 00:44:21,430 And I know that the state slush fund is billions and billions of dollars. 534 00:44:22,730 --> 00:44:24,070 Where's actor County? 535 00:44:25,510 --> 00:44:29,670 Why can't we get the money some way for these oil companies? 536 00:44:29,670 --> 00:44:34,230 And there are five of you up there to figure out a way to do it. 537 00:44:36,810 --> 00:44:38,350 May I have just a moment more? 538 00:44:39,050 --> 00:44:42,970 Okay, give the other lady the privilege, thank you. 539 00:44:46,410 --> 00:44:48,810 That data center is questionable. 540 00:44:49,410 --> 00:44:52,650 It's like the oil field is going to harm our citizens. 541 00:44:53,250 --> 00:44:55,550 Please do more research into it. 542 00:44:56,010 --> 00:44:59,890 I know that if a child lives within 200, go two and a half. 543 00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:31,450 Miles of a data center, their mental development is questionable. And I got this data from the world's largest, or not the world, the nation's largest organization, the National Education Association that has done the research on that. Thank you, Ms. Duncan. Okay. Thank you. I will just answer a question regarding the oil and gas funds. The state does collect a severance tax. And you are correct. 544 00:45:31,450 --> 00:45:38,670 Correct, it funds a majority of the state, it funds the ESF, which is the economic stabilization fund, which is the slush fund that you represented. 545 00:45:39,190 --> 00:45:44,550 It does fund the permanent school fund that funds our schools, our school system public schools. 546 00:45:44,550 --> 00:45:45,830 They say we'd give it to them. 547 00:45:46,130 --> 00:45:55,350 It also funds exactly textot, and significantly, and as well as the permanent university fund, which funds are Texas A&M and UT systems. 548 00:45:55,350 --> 00:46:06,290 So, we've, I've worked with Representative Landgraff, he's authored some bills regarding bringing a percentage of that oil and gas severance tax back to counties in which it has produced. 549 00:46:06,650 --> 00:46:11,170 It has passed the House, several sessions it has failed in the Senate repeatedly. 550 00:46:14,410 --> 00:46:25,310 It is something- 551 00:46:25,310 --> 00:46:29,330 500 million dollars across the entire state to all oil and gas producing counties. 552 00:46:29,710 --> 00:46:33,710 And over a five-year-period-ector county was slated to receive a whopping $5 million. 553 00:46:34,270 --> 00:46:38,870 This past session, they scrapped that $250 million program they didn't even fund it at 500. 554 00:46:39,230 --> 00:46:44,610 They scrapped the $250 million program, despite the fact that the Permian Basin funds the entire state. 555 00:46:45,110 --> 00:46:48,430 So it is something that I've worked on, it's something that I'm passionate about. 556 00:46:49,050 --> 00:46:52,730 Unfortunately, it is something that our state legislature treats us like a mining colony. 557 00:46:52,730 --> 00:46:59,730 and there is no willing gas sovereigns funds that come to counties in a tragic scenario, no doubt. 558 00:47:00,070 --> 00:47:01,670 Could I make one closing remark? 559 00:47:02,130 --> 00:47:04,130 One closing remarks and I respond to you. 560 00:47:04,210 --> 00:47:11,650 All right, leadership means stewardship and you are elected leaders for this county. 561 00:47:12,930 --> 00:47:21,170 So that puts you in the responsible position of looking after your county and your constituents. 562 00:47:21,690 --> 00:47:22,530 Thank you so much. 563 00:47:22,530 --> 00:47:23,890 I guess, ma'am, thank you, Ms. Duncan. 564 00:47:25,670 --> 00:47:27,470 Next, we have Robert Bailey. 565 00:47:40,300 --> 00:47:41,260 Judge, commissioners. 566 00:47:43,120 --> 00:47:44,240 Actually, I go by bill. 567 00:47:44,360 --> 00:47:47,760 That's what Billy knows me as legal legalities. 568 00:47:47,880 --> 00:47:48,600 That's the first name. 569 00:47:49,780 --> 00:47:51,620 Along with the property taxes, 570 00:47:52,560 --> 00:47:56,000 the small increase on the actual tax rate 571 00:47:56,520 --> 00:47:59,300 is not what's killing the people in Ector County. 572 00:48:00,360 --> 00:48:03,540 Two years ago, the appraisal district went through and re-appraised. 573 00:48:03,540 --> 00:48:12,440 And we went from extremely low property values which I can understand bringing them up where they need to be. 574 00:48:13,200 --> 00:48:18,760 But instantly went to high market value property values. 575 00:48:20,460 --> 00:48:45,000 2024 to 2025. My property tax increased 106% 25 to 26. Another 30%. I'm not sure if you're aware of the way the cap extension laws with the state work next year as the exemption goes away. 576 00:48:45,000 --> 00:48:57,260 Okay. Is that another 30% on top of it, bringing our taxes that we actually pay to the county, up to almost 200% increase over a three year period. 577 00:49:00,260 --> 00:49:02,920 Did you contest these with the appraisal district? 578 00:49:03,520 --> 00:49:07,660 Yes, that was my second bullet point that I would like the commissioners to look into. 579 00:49:07,980 --> 00:49:08,060 Okay. 580 00:49:08,820 --> 00:49:16,620 The hearing, when you walk in and you sit down across from a board of realtors. 581 00:49:18,980 --> 00:49:20,340 That's who's hearing my case. 582 00:49:22,410 --> 00:49:23,870 That is a conflict of interest. 583 00:49:25,290 --> 00:49:29,890 They make more money if the property values are higher in their regular careers. 584 00:49:31,070 --> 00:49:35,610 So I would like you guys to look into that and see if we can come up with a way to fix 585 00:49:35,610 --> 00:49:36,210 that as well. 586 00:49:36,690 --> 00:49:40,630 Where when we do go into those hearings, we have a chance at a fair trial. 587 00:49:43,230 --> 00:49:43,970 That's all I have. 588 00:49:44,410 --> 00:49:44,970 Thank you. 589 00:49:45,350 --> 00:49:45,630 Thank you. 590 00:49:46,070 --> 00:49:46,510 Thank you. 591 00:49:47,650 --> 00:49:53,660 I will say one thing on the appraisal district, let's say one thing on the appraisal 592 00:49:53,660 --> 00:49:56,600 district, the Texas legislature did make a modification in state law. 593 00:49:56,720 --> 00:50:01,080 They did add three elected positions to every appraisal district. 594 00:50:01,380 --> 00:50:03,580 In Ektor County, they had those three positions up. 595 00:50:04,080 --> 00:50:05,540 Nobody filed to run. 596 00:50:06,040 --> 00:50:08,080 I think that that would be a terrific one. 597 00:50:08,260 --> 00:50:13,100 I would love to see some persons who care about this issue, which is, I think, everybody. 598 00:50:13,760 --> 00:50:14,840 Run for those positions. 599 00:50:14,840 --> 00:50:16,580 It's kind of who draws the short straw. 600 00:50:17,240 --> 00:50:18,820 And who gets appointed to that? 601 00:50:19,120 --> 00:50:21,300 So that is something that the legislature created. 602 00:50:21,520 --> 00:50:22,620 It was in a special session. 603 00:50:22,620 --> 00:50:27,120 It was in the middle of a non-typical legislative time frame. 604 00:50:27,420 --> 00:50:28,820 But they did add those positions in. 605 00:50:29,200 --> 00:50:32,580 And so that is something that I would look, you know, if you're interested in, 606 00:50:32,580 --> 00:50:34,960 you can always reach out to me and we can kind of point you in the right direction. 607 00:50:36,220 --> 00:50:37,020 I'd like to make a comment. 608 00:50:37,140 --> 00:50:37,600 Yes, absolutely. 609 00:50:37,940 --> 00:50:44,280 Okay, so for those that don't know, there are a lot of titles to a lot of entities. 610 00:50:44,280 --> 00:50:47,800 and a lot of those titles could be Ector County plus. 611 00:50:48,740 --> 00:50:50,620 So you see the Ector County appraisal district, 612 00:50:50,820 --> 00:50:52,160 you see the Ector County school district, 613 00:50:52,340 --> 00:50:57,840 you see the Ector County us and other Ector County utility district. 614 00:50:58,180 --> 00:50:59,360 We're not all associated, 615 00:50:59,360 --> 00:51:01,080 we're all different taxing entities. 616 00:51:01,420 --> 00:51:04,700 We don't have oversight or control over what they do. 617 00:51:05,400 --> 00:51:12,060 So sometimes the misinformation is assuming that we have any oversight 618 00:51:12,060 --> 00:51:15,040 provide over those other entities we don't. 619 00:51:15,340 --> 00:51:18,200 So I just wanted to make it a clarifying statement. 620 00:51:18,420 --> 00:51:19,500 Thank you, Commissioner Hall. 621 00:51:20,220 --> 00:51:23,020 Okay, we do have Scott Johnson. 622 00:51:23,620 --> 00:51:24,760 One, okay. 623 00:51:25,080 --> 00:51:25,760 Thank you, Mr. Johnson. 624 00:51:29,690 --> 00:51:31,730 All right, that concludes our public participation. 625 00:51:32,390 --> 00:51:33,370 I'd like to say something. 626 00:51:33,550 --> 00:51:34,110 Yes, absolutely. 627 00:51:34,550 --> 00:51:38,590 I, first of all, I just want to say thank you for everyone that came tonight. 628 00:51:38,750 --> 00:51:40,850 I know you're tired, I know you came from work. 629 00:51:41,250 --> 00:51:42,750 Thank you for showing up. 630 00:51:43,850 --> 00:51:45,370 It's a pleasure to have you here. 631 00:51:45,610 --> 00:51:50,110 I know a lot of times you can't come in the day, so it's great to have everyone here. 632 00:51:50,910 --> 00:51:54,630 Also, we'll say the judge made some points. 633 00:51:54,790 --> 00:51:56,750 I don't agree with them 100%. 634 00:51:56,750 --> 00:51:58,350 We did work very hard on the budget. 635 00:51:58,870 --> 00:52:00,850 But I do think that we can still make some cuts. 636 00:52:01,170 --> 00:52:05,270 And I think that we can save more than the few dollars that we're looking at right now. 637 00:52:05,450 --> 00:52:10,090 So I hope tomorrow that we can do that and thank you again for showing up. 638 00:52:16,320 --> 00:52:20,540 I will entertain, oh, I'll entertain a motion to close the public hearing, thank you Ms. 639 00:52:20,600 --> 00:52:20,900 Prentice. 640 00:52:22,240 --> 00:52:25,480 Motion by Commissioner Russell, second by Commissioner Simonson for the discussion. 641 00:52:25,920 --> 00:52:26,940 All is favourable to the five by saying aye. 642 00:52:27,600 --> 00:52:30,560 I'll this post same time motion passed five zero, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. 643 00:52:31,760 --> 00:52:35,300 Motion by Commissioner Gardner, second by Commissioner Russell, any further discussion? 644 00:52:35,860 --> 00:52:36,860 All is favourable to the five by saying aye. 645 00:52:37,300 --> 00:52:38,860 All right, let's post same time motion passed five zero. 646 00:52:39,220 --> 00:52:39,760 Thank you, folks. 647 00:52:39,760 --> 00:52:40,960 I appreciate y'all.