News

The city of Graham’s sales tax rebate dropped 4.5 percent this month, compared with the same month last year, after three months in a row of rebates that were up over the previous year. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced he will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts $668.3 million in local sales tax allocations for September, 6.2 percent more than in September 2016.

Young County Commissioners’ passed their 2017-18 budget and total tax rate Monday, a rate of $0.751300 per $100 valuation, which is a 6.48 percent increase from last year’s rate. The county’s total tax rate is made up of the sum of the maintenance and operations rate (M&O) plus the debt service rate. The M&O rate contains the general fund, permanent improvement fund, road and bridge fund and jury fund. The debt service rate is the rate required to make the annual payment on debt accrued by the county and may move as high as necessary to cover the debt obligations of the county.

The Humane Society of Young County Executive Director Kristi Morrison stepped down from her position two weeks ago, HSYC Board President Rhonda Bone said. Morrison was made director last year on Nov. 22, at the conclusion of eight months of negotiations for an official contract between the society and the city of Graham. She had been acting as temporary shelter director, replacing former director Stacey DeJaynes Allen, who had held that position since 2014. “Kristi did a wonderful job of getting the shelter where it is today.

William Dale Huffman Jr., of Graham, was charged Aug. 22 with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, by Federal Drug Task Force officials. The charge stems from a drug distribution investigation involving the Graham Police Department, Young County Sheriff’s Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and law enforcement partners within the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency If convicted, Huffman could be sentenced to federal prison for a substantial period of time.

Now more than ever, keep your hands on the wheel. As of Sept. 1, it is now a crime to text while driving in Texas, one of hundreds of new state laws that went into effect that day. The new texting-while-driving ban was passed by the 85th Texas Legislature, making the state the 47th in the country to outlaw the behavior. The ban prohibits motorists from reading, writing or sending electronic messages while driving. Violations will be a misdemeanor; first-time violators could be fined up to $99.

The Graham Independent School District approved a tax rate unchanged from their last four year’s actual total tax rate of 1.347 cents per $100 valuation, and a budget of $22,741,613. A public meeting was held at the GISD Administrative Office Building early Wednesday to discuss the school district’s budget and determine the tax rate to be adopted. The district’s budget total in comparison with the 2016-17 budget is a difference of approximately $522,134.