County judge joins officials for legislative update
County Judge Don Kirkpatrick was one of hundreds of county officials who gathered in Austin last month at the Texas Association of Counties 2-16 Legislative Conference to discuss the upcoming legislative session and the common concerns shared by Texas’ local governments and local taxpayers.
“The Legislative Conference is really the one time each year county officials from around the state can get together as peers and as community leaders to discuss common issues and potential solutions to our shared challenges, and to discuss the coming legislative session, the workings of which will undoubtedly affect counties in many ways,” said TAC Executive Director Gene Terry. “It is also a perfect opportunity to meet and visit with our colleagues in the legislature before the whirlwind of the session, to discuss the interim and what can be accomplished this session.”
During their three days in Austin, county officials heard from their peers, experts and legislators on several hot topics affecting counties.
Some of the discussions included an update on property tax reform, a central focus of Senate interim hearings; an update on current issues in emergency management from county officials affected by the numerous recent floods across the state; an examination of rising indigent defense costs and best practices; a look at the state’s Driver Responsibility Program and calls to reform or even end it; and a discussion of transportation and infrastructure issues counties face.