Remarks by Walt Smith
279 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 3 of 12
- Play at 3:43:14
“650 AND THE IMPACT THAT WOULD HAVE ON THE TAX RATE, AND I WOULD MOVE TO ADOPT TO I would move to keep the voting equipment in there with the four-year option at $650,000 for the first year.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 3:44:02
“You said, I think we're in agreement for two, but we are going to wait until January.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 3:44:13
“Because in here, it says three on this, but we had agreed to two.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 3:45:51
“Okay, just to clarify before we move on to anything else. I really do, whenever we go through this process, I do want that evaluation for whomever is sitting on this court next year. Because not only does it give us clarification as court members or y'all clarification as court members, but it gives a true... It gives a true goal or target for our constables and our JPs to shoot for and understand whenever they come in here what that evaluation looks like and whether or not they could or might not be successful. I mean, I don't... I think we piecemealed it for so long that it's... I'm not…”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 3:51:44
“Move to maintain in the budget. And I just want to say this is a position where they are overwhelmed at this point. And the number of applications that we're getting, I think we need this level of supervision. Do we have a second?”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 3:52:22
“What about the 30-day shot clock? Do you support it?”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 3:58:29
“I agree. I would move to maintain the tax rate for FY28, or pardon me, FY27 at 126. Including all the cuts that we had all the remainder of those funds be put into our reserves Put the cuts in the reserves so that gives us the tax rate of that would that would that would have us It stays at 126 but all those remaining funds go into reserve to give you all additional cap room for next year and”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 3:59:38
“And again, doing it in a year where If we do this increase, the average homeowner would still receive an $8 decrease in their real taxes paid is the time to do it, not whenever we have years where property taxes go up or appraisals go up. Those are the years where we have the opportunity to save.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:00:48
“So, again, if I need to restate my motion, I don't know if I'll get a second, but I would propose leaving the tax rate for FY27, with an additional, adding an additional 1.26 cents, taking into account all of the changes that we made today and using the additional 1.2 million that were identified from the cuts that were made today and placing that into our reserves.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:01:48
“Okay. Given the changes that we made today, then I would propose a motion to adopt a tax rate increasing the current tax rate Could you restate again? 0.9827. 0.9827 for adoption for FY27. Can I get a second?”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:02:52
“What would be the offset if we did a one cent increase? What would be available for reserves above the budget that we have now?”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:03:07
“So it would be the offset between the 0.9. Okay, I'm not, okay.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:04:59
“Yes. I move to adopt a tax rate increase of .9827 for FY 2017, including all the additional items which we voted upon today and the corrections that we did to the budget today with the clarification that was just provided.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:05:52
“With the .9827, can you give me what the total overall tax rate would be? Yes, that would be helpful.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:06:06
“A little further from the mic, it'll sound better. Can you just give me the total tax rate?”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:06:25
“I move to adopt an overall tax rate of 40.47, including an increase from FY 2016 of .9827 for FY 27, including all the changes to the proposed budget which were adopted today.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:07:26
“All right. Now we have the statutory. Don't we have the statutory? We have a couple of ones after.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:08:11
“Okay. Okay. Let me just clarify before we go any further. Our total general tax rate would be .4097. Yes. That is correct, Commissioner. I want reconfirmation of that before I do this a fourth time.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:09:07
“But the .9827 increase is still the exact same? Yes, that's the same.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:09:20
“Correct. I move to adopt an overall tax rate of .4097 for FY2027. which equates to an increase of .9820 cents for that budget, including all the modifications to the proposed budget adopted today. I see nodding from budget and legal, so tell me I'm right, and the auditor. I'm going to recap as soon as we get a second.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:10:24
“Still no. Next. Okay, now there's the statutory motions. Yep.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:12:56
“Yes. Okay, y'all are going to hate this, but guys, we have to reopen the last one again. because it was not an increase of 0.9827, it's zero, it's an increase of 0.09827. Okay. That's under 12, didn't we do that under 12?”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:14:11
“I have a motion. I move to adopt a tax rate of 0.4097 per $100 valuation, including an increase of 0.09827 cents per $100 evaluation up from the FY26 fiscal year for FY27. Second.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:17:22
“I move to include in the budget the amendments approved today.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026
- Play at 4:24:28
“I just want to say thank you to my colleagues for making it one last lively budget conversation. And I wish you all the best next year.”
Commissioners Court · Sep 15, 2026