Author Archives: Debra Mergel
How To Serve Well On City Council
You decided to throw your hat into the ring. You campaigned tirelessly with posters, telephone calls and door-to-door visits. You’ve been elected to serve on the city council. Congratulations! You will take your oath of office soon. What now? Being an excellent city council member requires a combination of skills, knowledge, and personal qualities…. Read More »
The Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool
The Texas Municipal League Intergovernmental Risk Pool (TMLIRP) is a non-profit insurance company that provides coverage to over 2,800 local government entities in Texas. TMLIRP was established in 1974 by the Texas Municipal League, which is an association of cities and towns in Texas. TMLIRP is governed by a board of trustees that is… Read More »
Local Hotel Occupancy Taxes
If your city doesn’t have a hotel, then local hotel occupancy taxes may not apply to your city. However, just what is a hotel? The answer may surprise you. The definition of “hotel” found in Tax Code Section 156.001 includes uses such as hotel, motel, tourist home, tourist house, tourist court, lodging house, inn,… Read More »
When May a City Place a Lien on Real Property?
The purpose of a municipal lien on real property is for the city to recoup unpaid assessments, bills, and fines. Under what circumstances may a city place a lien though? We find authority for municipal liens in four separate Texas statutes. In each instance, the city council must adopt an ordinance to enforce the… Read More »
Parkland Dedication
Every city needs recreational facilities and green spaces for the pleasure and personal health of its residents. How can a city provide these amenities for its citizens? One way is through parkland dedication. A parkland dedication is a requirement imposed by city ordinance on subdivision developers, mandating that developers dedicate land for parks or… Read More »
Incentives to Draw Commercial Business to Your Municipality
What are the key incentives to draw commercial business to municipalities in Texas? At the state level here in Texas, there are multiple incentives, not the least of which is no state income tax for businesses that relocate their employees to our state. The following are a few of the common incentive offerings that… Read More »