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What exactly does a County Commissioner do?
First and foremost, the Commissioners Court represents you - the citizens of the First Precinct and Collin County. So, you have a
seat and a voice on the Commissioners Court. County Commissioners are each elected from a precinct or district representing 25%
of the county population. The commissioners are the administrative directors of county government. The commissioners set the
budget, the tax rate and set policy for all the departments.
Rather than being a policy making body like a city council or school board, Commissioners Court is responsible for operating on a
cost effective basis many county functions on your behalf. This means fiscal responsibility and allows for oversight and follow-up
action to provide even more effective services to you and for your tax dollars!
These include the following departments
- public works
- engineering
- public health
- human resources
- emergency preparedness (homeland security)
- medical examiner
- information technology
Your Commissioners Court is responsible for setting and administering a 220 plus million dollar Collin County budget. We are also
responsible for setting personnel policies. Currently, your court has oversight of over 1500 county employees, which includes
accountability and budgets. This requires a considerable amount of time. Although we set the budgets for other elected officials,
we do not run their offices.
How are terms for County Commissioners determined? Can they be changed?
Terms for Commissioners are set by the Texas Constitution. The only way to change the current 4 year terms and limit the time a
person can serve would be for the Texas Legislature to call a Constitutional Amendment election and put it on the ballot
statewide.
How are tax appraisals determined on property?
The tax value of your home is determined and set by the Collin County Appraisal District (CCAD). It is based on comparable sales
in your neighborhood.
Since the CCAD carries the name Collin County, many people assume that it is a function of Collin County. It is not.
Appraisal districts were created by the state legislature and are not directly associated with county government. CCAD is required
to set the value of your property based on market value.
You have the right to appeal the value placed on your home before a committee that is appointed by the CCAD Board.
It is important to remember that a tax bill not only includes Collin County taxes. It also includes taxes for independent school
districts, Collin College and municipalities. In fact, Collin County claims only one dime of every property tax dollar, which is only
10 percent of your tax bill.
How do my county taxes compare to neighboring counties?
Collin County has one of the lowest tax rates of any county in Texas. Your tax rate has not increased for the last 10 years,
although the value of your house has increased.
The last move on the tax rate was a one cent reduction that was implemented by the Commissioners Court in 1998.
From 1998 to present, your Commissioners Court used the additional tax revenue that resulted from growth to accommodate that growth
without an increase in the tax rate.
The gain in tax receipts have also been used by the Commissioners Court to increase the reserve fund to a level that has earned the
citizens of Collin County a AAA bond rating. The bond rating is one of the highest possible and is achieved by very few governmental
entities. In fact, only four counties in Texas have such an excellent rating. It has allowed your county to sell capital improvement
bonds for road improvements, open space and a new courthouse that you have approved at a low interest rate, resulting in savings of
many millions of dollars.
What about senior citizens taxes?
Collin County Commissioners voted to freeze senior citizens taxes. At age 65 the taxes are capped. If taxes go down your taxes can
go down but can not go higher than the amount you pay at age 65.
How are you planning for growth and how does it affect transportation?
Collin County adds approximately 40,000 persons per year. We are the second fastest growing county in Texas and one of the fastest
growing in the United States. With that growth comes increased traffic. According to a recent survey, mobility and traffic
congestion are the two most important issues in Collin County.
Funding for mobility improvements comes for several sources. The largest funds are federal and state gas tax dollars. Other
funding sources are local sales tax for DART, county and city bond funds and toll roads.
Gasoline taxes at the federal and state level have not increased for several years. Mobility needs are ever increasing as our
county continues to grow. It is projected that gas taxes will be totally absorbed for highway maintenance in the next few years.
This means that funds for new streets and widening existing streets will not be available via the gas tax, unless it is increased.
The state legislature is the only body that can increase the state gas tax.
Faced with a shortage of state and federal gas tax funds, local governments will be forced to absorb more of the funding for
highways and streets. Since the 1980's, Collin County has proposed to you, our citizens, several bond programs that have highway
and street funding as a major component. You have seen the need for mobility improvements and overwhelming approved the bond
funds.
Collin County has leveraged its mobility funds with the state and local cities to maximize mobility dollars and improvements.
In most cases, Collin County puts up 50 percent of the money and the city puts up the other 50 percent.
In 2007, Collin County voters passed a $235.6 million transportation bond package to continue to improve joint projects with
cities. This transportation package is more important than ever given the Texas Department of Transportation's current financial
situation.
What is "pay for performance" and how does it differ from previous pay plans?
The counties new pay plan referred to as "pay for performance" is based on the achievement of goals that have been discussed
and predetermined by the employee and his supervisors. This encourages communication, and rewards employees who work hard.
Do elected officials receive longevity pay?
Elected officials do not get longevity pay.
Did you vote for the commissioner's pay raise in 2007.
No
What is the law concerning indigent health care? How does our county compare with others in determining percent of
poverty?
The County Indigent Healthcare program began in 1987. The legislature mandated that counties provide care for those citizens
between 21% and 100% of the poverty level. This was meant to be a safety net for poor citizens. Collin County is one of the
only non-hospital district counties in Texas using 100% of the poverty level as the income limit most use 21%.
Is indigent health care paid for with current tax dollars?
No. The Collin County indigent care is paid for with interest income from the Trust Fund established in 1982 when the citizens
voted to sell the hospital.
Collin County does not own a hospital, like Dallas County. We also do not have a hospital district tax like Dallas County.
In fact the hospital district tax alone in Dallas County nearly equals our total county tax.
For the past several years, Collin County has provided monetary grants to agencies that provide health care services to indigents.
These agencies include Children's Medical Clinic and Plano Health Clinic. These efforts in participating with private agencies
have proven very successful in addressing the health care needs of the county.
In addition to indigent care, Collin County provides services including a travel medicine clinic, immunization clinics and the Women,
Infants and Children (WIC) program.
If we have a county emergency how is it handled?
Collin County Homeland Security department has taken a regional approach to disaster planning. We have brought all first responders
together. The Emergency Operations Center or EOC can coordinate all these agencies if needed.
Collin County was recognized as a leader in Homeland Security recently with the Award of Excellence from the Emergency Management
Association of Texas. We have established the office of homeland security and prepared disaster plans for times of natural and
intentional disasters. Collin County is continuously updating these plans and conducts live exercises to prove they will work.
We are prepared.
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