The Hays County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to pursue an appeal of a court ruling that overturned the county’s nearly $440 million voter-approved road bond from November 2024.
The Hays County Commissioners Court called for a bond election in August 2024 that would fund the maintenance of buildings, facilities and roads. The bond, which received approval from 55% of voters, included 31 road projects targeting traffic congestion and improving safety along I-35. In June, a Travis County judge nullified the bond election, ruling that Hays County failed to meet legal public notice requirements under the Texas Open Meetings Act.
The decision to void the bond followed an October 2024 lawsuit filed by a group of Hays County property owners, who claimed that official business regarding the bond was not accessible to the public and county officials did not allow for public comment. They also claimed that, in the August 2024 agenda, officials did not properly disclose the bond’s purpose, amount and proposed tax rate increase.
At the July 8 meeting where commissioners voted to appeal the ruling, Hays County residents, including the plaintiffs of the case, said the county did not provide enough information about the road bond and that previous agendas put the 31 projects into a single item. Some residents also raised concerns that the road construction could lead to water pollution, noting that the county did not allow enough time for public comment to address their concerns on the large agenda item.
Residents asked the court to proceed with the road projects using alternatives and involving the public. In response, commissioners said they would consider alternatives such as debt financing in an effort to make progress on the road bond project while they work on the appeals process.
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