August 26, 2025- For the fourth year in a row, the Hopkins County Commissioner’s Court approved a reduction in the county tax rate of over 9 cents. Hopkins County Tax Assessor/Collector Debbie Pogue Mitchell proposed the lower tax rate of .40022 which is more than 9 and 1/2 cent reduction from the current rate of .49587. The Hopkins County Commissioner’s Court unanimously agreed to the new lower rate.
The calculation of the prevailing tax rate is a complicated matter as Texas Counties are only able to increase the amount of income from tax collections to a maximum of 3.5% over the previous year. With increases in property tax assessments as well as new construction, new equipement, and other factors, the amount Hopkins County would collect would be greater than the 3.5% increase hence the lowering of the overall tax rate to satisfy state-madated ceiling.
Another item on Monday’s agenda was moved up to the beginning of the meeting as the courtroom was filled with concerned parties and spectators interested in the tax abatement request by Sligsol, LLC. Sligsol proposed an agreement to receive a tax abatement on 515 acres in western Hopkins County along County Road 4725. Jeff Snowden, a consultant for Hopkins County, explained the PILOT program (Payment in lieu of taxes) propsed to Sligsol, LLC to “lock-in” revenue for the first ten years of the project. Passionate pleas were heard from neighbors of the project as well as interested parties in the county for the Hopkins County Commissioner’s Court to “pump the brakes” on all tax abatements in the confines of the county limits. A Sligsol representative explained that the long term employment of the project would only produce 2 to 3 full-time jobs once construction of the $108 million project was completed.
After much discussion, the agenda item which had been tabled from an earlier meeting failed to get a motion carried to be moved back to the court for a vote during this meeting. The agenda item of voting on the tax abatement remains in limbo and could be listed on an upcoming agend for another commissioner’s court public meeting.
