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County Commissioners
What do they do?
County Commissioners are responsible for a host of issues that affect your daily life. The decisions your commissioner makes impact not only the county tax rate, but your quality of life. It is an honor to serve as commissioner, an honor with great responsibility.
There are 254 counties in the state of Texas and each county has a County Judge and four County Commissioners. Together, the County Judge and four County Commissioners are the voting members of the Montgomery County Commissioners Court. Each commissioner, elected to staggered four-year terms, serves roughly a quarter of the county population in a geographical area called a precinct. The commissioner is in effect the CEO or Mayor of the precinct.
The Commissioners and Judge: (Source, Texas Association of Counties)
- Sets the annual property tax rate;
- Sets and approves the budget for elected officials;
- Sets commissioners and justice of the peace precinct boundaries;
- Calls, conducts and certifies elections, including bond elections;
- Establishes long-range thoroughfare, open space, land use, financial and law enforcement/jail needs plans;
- Acquires property for rights-of-way or other uses determined to be in the public's best interest;
- Reviews and approve subdivision platting and wastewater treatment for rural areas;
- Provides rural ambulance services and subsidizes rural fire protection;
- Oversees the construction, maintenance and improvement of county roads and bridges;
- Appoints non-elected department heads and standing committees;
- Supervises and controls the county courthouse, county buildings and facilities;
- Adopts a county budget; and
- Has exclusive authority to authorize contracts in the name of the county.
The Commissioners Court can only adopt legislation enacted by the State of Texas. The Commissioners and Judge cannot create law.
This is just a short summary of the duties and responsibilities of a commissioner. I encourage you to learn about each candidate and vote for the candidate that you feel is most qualified to serve you as commissioner.
- James Noack