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Property values released; await Nov. 7 election results for final tax bills

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By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Usually by mid-July county taxing entities have their certified property values and they have begun crunching the numbers calculating a possible tax rate.
While values using possible homestead exemptions went out to school districts this past week, Chief Appraiser Kim Haralson of the Montague County Tax Appraisal District says the figures are far from final as they have to await the outcome of the Nov. 7 Texas Constitutional amendment election, as well as send the school districts a value to submit for state funding so they can prepare their budgets and tax rates.
In the Nov. 7 constitutional amendment election a yes vote would increase the homestead exemption only for school districts from $40,000 to $100,000 and apply to the tax year beginning Jan. 1, 2023. The homestead exemption was last increased in May 2022 from $25,000 to $40,000.
Haralson said the main question for appraisal district staff was how could the MCTAD-certified values to the point school districts issue tax statements by Oct. 1, when a major component of that calculation, the homestead exemption, won’t be known until after the Nov. 7 election.
After working with state officials, the appraiser said they will go ahead and certify the tax rolls for the county’s 16 taxing entities instead of waiting another week. This action will allow them all to at least start the process of setting the tax rate which has multiple deadlines.

Read the full story in the Saturday Bowie News.

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Senate District 30 runoff early voting to open

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Texans continue to go to the elections polls as voters decide who will face off in the November general election to fill the 30th Senatorial District seat.
Both the Democratic and Republican Parties will have party primary runoffs on May 28 as they try to select a candidate to fill the seat of Senator Drew Springer (R-Muenster) who chose not to see a second-four-year term after winning a special election in 2020. He ran unopposed in 2022.
There were multiple candidates in both party primaries back in March and no one was able to garner the necessary majority. The top two vote-getters will face off to determine a winner for the November ballot.
Early voting for the runoff runs May 20-24 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Montague County Courthouse Annex Community Room. This is the only location for early voting.
On election day voting polls will be located in the courthouse annex, Bowie Senior Citizens Center, Nocona City Hall and Saint Jo Civic Center. They will be open 7 a.m.. to 7 p.m.
Those who voted in the March primary can only cast ballots in that party primary, voters cannot switch parties. Those who did not vote in the primary can vote in either party primary.

Read more on this story in the mid-week Bowie News.

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County to bid SO radio console

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By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Montague County Commissioners will make plans to take bids for a radio console at the sheriff’s office after a portion of the unit went down.
That was just one of the many topics in Monday’s court session. An executive session to discuss pending litigation was tabled after County Judge Kevin Benton reported a conference call with the other party’s attorney and County Attorney Clay Riddle showed they were not ready for discussion and he asked it be tabled, which was approved.
On the radio console, the court has been talking about the unit since Sheriff’ Marshall Thomas reported the console has reached the end of its life expectancy of eight years and was having lots of problems. The county had applied for a grant to help pay for it, but it won’t be announced until June.
The radio system has two parts said Thomas and one unit has completely stopped working, however, they are still able to use the radio for now and handle 911 service. Judge Benton said in looking at the estimated costs it was expected to be just under the $50,000 bid limit hovering around $42,000; however, they also have found the unit needs five radios through which it can transmit from the two computers which will push up the price.

Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.

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Building projects lead Bowie City Council agenda

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Infrastructure projects once more dominate the agenda of the Bowie City Council when it meets at 6 p.m. on May 13.
A pair of proclamations open the meeting, one for Emergency Medical Services Week and National Travel and Tourism Week.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will present information on the substation transformer project, the phase two sewer line replacement contract, status of the infrastructure fund and plans for the budget.
A pair of public works requests will ask for $24,000 out of the infrastructure fund to buy nine fire hydrants and $29,825 from the meter tap account to buy replacement meters. Public Works Director Stony Lowrance is expected to make that presentation.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.

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