News

The Clarendon College District will no longer levy a tax on personal property in Donley County following action by the CC Board of Regents last Thursday.

CC President Tex Buckhaults said the board formally repealed the unpopular tax on automobiles, boats, and other personal property during its regular meeting on March 21.

“We feel like we’re financially sound enough to forgo that much disparaged tax,” Buckhaults said.

The repeal will mean the loss of about $58,000 in annual revenue for the college district, the president said, but he believes CC can manage without that income thanks in part to higher state funding coming from a new funding method approved by the Legislature last year.

The Donley Appraisal District said the regents’ move will become effective with the 2024 tax year, payments for which will start being collected this coming October. The personal property tax for CC is still applicable to 2023 and prior tax years.

Local governments still levying the personal property tax include Donley County, the Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District, the City of Hedley, and Hedley Consolidated Independent School District.

The personal property tax has been used in “property poor” situations where appraised values are not high enough to otherwise generate enough ad valorem revune for some local governments.

In other college news, Buckhaults said the board of regents also approved a motion to reduce the dual credit tuition rate to $56.87 per hour, which he said is the state reimbursement rate and will make it cheaper for high school students taking classes for college credit through Clarendon College.

A $6.4 million overlay project is set to begin on US 287 in Clarendon on April 1.

The project will include all lanes in the city as well as the southbound lanes from Clarendon to the Armstrong County line. The contractor for the project is J Lee Milligan.

TxDOT spokesperson Ginger Wilson said the work in Clarendon will consist of grinding off the top surface of the asphalt and putting down a new finish.

Drivers can expect daily lane closures during the project and are reminded to use caution when traveling through the work zone. This includes reducing your speed, obeying all posted warnings, and avoiding all distractions. Fines double in work zones when workers are present.

Work in the town section is expected to take six weeks to complete, weather pending.

For more information, contact Ginger.Wilson@txdot.gov or (940) 937-7288.

Congressman Ronny Jackson (TX-13) said last week that more than $200 million is designated for the 13th Congressional District in the Fiscal Year 2024 government funding package signed into law last week by President Joe Biden.

Jackson’s efforts led to the appropriation for the district, including key funding for nuclear modernization of the Pantex Plant, advancement of district-specific university programs, support for law enforcement, water resource improvements for the district, and more.

“I take extreme pride in securing more than $200 million for Texas’ Thirteenth Congressional District, benefiting our families, farmers, producers, local businesses, rural communities, and national security,” Jackson said. “Modernization of the Pantex Plant has been one of my top priorities in Congress and as a member of the House Armed Services Committee. Successfully securing over $184 million for major construction at the site is a huge accomplishment and will be key in our efforts to update such a key national security facility.

“This government funding package that was signed into law last week also departs from the wasteful and abhorrent spending levels seen in the Biden and Nancy Pelosi-era and instead prioritizes fiscal responsibility,” Jackson said.
“By drastically cutting unnecessary government spending, House Republicans are redirecting resources to where they have the most significant impact, including in places like Amarillo, Wichita Falls, and Runaway Bay. This funding will enhance our communities, bolster our infrastructure, enrich local education, fortify military operations, sustain our agriculture sector, and allocate funds for veteran healthcare.”

Jackson secured the following projects across District 13, including:

• $101.3 million for HE Science & Engineering Facility at Pantex;
• $83 million for HE Synthesis, Formulation, and Production facility at Pantex;
• $2.1 million for West Texas A&M’s Feedlot Educational Training Facility;
• $1.1 million for Texas Tech’s Infant Risk Center in Pampa;
• $1.2 million for Enhancement of STEM Capacity at Midwestern State University;
• $1.2 million for Texas Tech Veterinary School STEM Research Capacity;
• $242,000 for the Randall County Sheriff’s Office to get a Rapid DNA System;
• $1 million for the City of Amarillo to establish a real-time regional crime center;
• $1.75 million for critical repair to Runaway Bay’s Wastewater Infrastructure;
• $476,000 for Red River Authority Pump Station and Tank Renovations in Hall and Motley Counties;
• $1 million for Red River Authority Water Systems Improvement in Vernon;
• $3.8 million for Amarillo International Airport’s Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Training program;
• $2 million to initiate critical infrastructure for US 287 in order to support the Ports-to-Plains Corridor Interstate and enhance regional trade;
• $2 million for the construction of an access road for public access to Cross Bar Ranch;
• and $2.2 million for the widening and upgrade of State Loop 335.