By Montague County Judge Rick Lewis

Let’s talk for just a moment about that property tax bill you received a couple of months ago and probably paid a few weeks ago.
If you or your mortgage company is writing a check to the Montague County Appraisal District, that money must be going to the county, right?
Well, the answer is actually no. That bill is not from the county. It helps fund city, county, and school operations (as well as special districts like hospital and water service districts).

I want to tell you the rest of the story, at least in our county.
The county’s portion of that bill probably your best buy at around 17 percent of your total tax bill, if you live in a municipality, and about 35 percent if you are a county only resident. The rest goes to fund our schools.

Read the full op-ed piece in your weekend News.