What does this mean for property tax payers?
AMARILLO, TEXAS -- Tuesday's election will have a major impact on the residents of Gray County. The County wide tax freeze issue passed overwhelmingly by a margin of nearly 65%. What does this mean for the county and those tax payers?
Seniors 65 and older plus anyone legally disabled qualify for the freeze. They will pay this years county property tax amount on their home for the years to come, it cannot increase.
Roughly 15-20% of the county qualifies for the freeze, and county officials say that may cause a budget shortfall in the future.
The county provides services like fire protection, law enforcement, court system, and clerks all paid for from the county budget. Property taxes are the sole income for the county to provide these services.
"It's just something we're going to have to work through, look at what loss we have as a result of less money to work with but we will! We'll get through it," said Gray County Judge, Richard Peet.
The passage is a positive for seniors and the disabled, but future county budget shortfalls may land on the shoulders of those not included in the tax freeze.
"If you are unable to cut your budget, unable to cut your services, then you're going to have to raise tax, now the seniors will not get that tax increase, somebody is, and that's going to be those under 65 who are wage earning parents out there, businesses," said Judge Peet.
Only 10 - 12% of the registered voters in Gray County actually voted on the tax freeze issue.
