Your Tax Dollars and County Government

Travis County’s fiscal year 2010 (FY10) begins on October 1, 2009 and ends on September 30, 2010.  One of my priorities as the Commissioner of Precinct 3 is to be a good steward of information about the goings-on in Travis County.  I feel that this is especially important when it comes to the expenditures of your tax dollars.   I recently submitted a list of frequently asked questions concerning the budget  to the two departments within Travis County that play a vital role in the formation of the budget and ensuring the integrity of the process in Travis County: the County Auditor’s Office(CAO) and the Planning and Budget Office (PBO).  An abridged version of my questions and the respective responses from PBO and CAO were recently submitted as a newsletter column to many of the local media outlets that reach our precinct.  Provided below is an unabridged version of responses to the questions deemed most relevant to each department.       

You will note that some of the questions cover very complicated issues.  As a result, some of the responses may seem confusing or hard to follow.  Please feel free to submit any questions you may have to my office and we will do our best to help clarify.   

Below is a pie chart provided by PBO with a breakdown of the Travis County budget by department:


Many thanks to Susan Spataro, Travis County Auditor, and Rodney Rhoades, Executive Manager of the Travis County Planning and Budget Office.

 Read Questions and Responses

Austin American Statesman
January 19, 2012
STAR Flight basing a helicopter, crew at Dell Children's

Austin American Statesman
December 28, 2011
Travis County park purchase to add access to Perdernales River

Austin American Statesman/ Westlake Picayune
December 28, 2011
New Stop Light on
Bee Cave Road

Community Impact
November 11,2011
LCRA board bans floating habitable structures

Texas Tribune
October 27, 2011
Drought's Economic
Impact Spreading
Across Texas

Austin American Statesman
October 18, 2011
Drought hurting Lake Travis businesses

Community Impact
October 4, 2011 Commissioners aim to
better coordinate
fire information

Austin American Statesman
October 4, 2011
Travis County seeks to
improve disaster
response

North Shore Beacon
September 26, 2011
Coffee with the Commissioner


Community Impact
September 23, 20111 Redistricting changes
local representation

KXAN-TV News
September 20, 2011
911 System
needs your cell number

KVUE-TV News
September20, 2011
Travis Coounty
approves re-appraisals
for fire victims

KVUE-TV News
September20, 2011
Reappraising of
fire-damaged property
under consideration

Westlake Picayune
June 20, 2011
Travis County:
Burn ban includes
all fireworks

Texas Tribune
June21, 2011
As Texas Lake Levels Fall, Residents Fret

Impact News
June 17,2011
Austin, Tavis County
Celebrate
Balcones Canyonland
Preservation Plan

Oak Hill Gazette
May 26, 2011
Officals, residents assess concerns in the aftermath of fire

YNN
May 24, 2011
Lake Travis floating condos voted down

Community Impact Newspaper
May 24, 2011
Commissioners Court bans floating
habitable structures on
Lake Travis

KXAN-TV
May 24, 2011
"Vote: No to floating houses on Lake Travis"

Impact News
March 3, 2011
Redesign Coming to Y at Oak Hill

KVUE-TV
March 3, 2011
Plans for Oak Hill Intersection Improvements Announced

Submitted to
Austin American Statesman
August, 2010
Op-Ed
Where's the
Truth-o-Meter?

Austin American Statesman
June 14, 2010
Op-Ed
Trust and Credibility

Impact News.com
Lake Travis/ Westlake
March 5, 2010
Karen Huber Profile

Lake Travis View
News Report 2/18/2010
"Road Gives Lakeway
Access to Texas 71"

Austin Chronicle
News Report 1/15/10
"Army Saves the Day"

Austin
American-Statesman Op-Ed Commentary
"Air Quality "

KVUE-TV, Austin
News Report 9/9/08
"Billboard Controversy Along Highway 71"

Austin
American-Statesman
Op-Ed Commentary "Highway Signage"

Austin
American-Statesman Op-Ed Commentary
"Grandfathering"


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