On Monday, the Lubbock County Commissioners Court will convene and — once again — attempt to vote on a property tax rate for the coming fiscal year as the deadline to do so looms.
But, just as in several recent meetings, commissioners likely won’t get to cast those votes due to an impasse that has split the court in two.
County Judge Curtis Parrish and Sheriff Kelly Rowe called a news conference Thursday to implore commissioners Jason Corley and Jordan Rackler to return from a quorum-breaking walkout and negotiate on a tax rate.
But following the presser, Rackler and Corley told they Avalanche-Journal they don’t plan to come to the table and negotiate.
“Not now. We had our chance,” Rackler said.
Commissioners’ boycott an attempt to force no-new-revenue tax rate
Corley and Rackler have boycotted commissioners court meetings since Aug. 26 in an effort to force Lubbock County to adopt a no-new-revenue property tax rate for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
Though three of the five members of the court usually constitute a quorum, four members are required under Texas state law to vote on a tax rate. If commissioners do not vote on a tax rate by the statutory deadline of Sept. 30, the no-new-revenue rate is automatically adopted.