FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2024
CONTACT: Desi Burns Porter
EMAIL: desi@TexansAgainstHSR.com
EMBATTLED DALLAS TO HOUSTON HIGH-SPEED RAIL OWES NEARLY $850,000 IN DELINQUENT PROPERTY TAXES AND ATTORNEY FEES
Proposed Texas HSR project is delinquent on its property taxes in all counties in which it owns property and continues to incur interest and penalties.
Jewett, Texas – Yet again for the fourth year, the zombie company that has tried for over a decade to promote the proposed Dallas to Houston high-speed rail project, Texas Central Railway, is delinquent on property taxes owed to school districts and Counties in which it owns property.
Despite making regular public claims that the company would benefit the counties by being “responsible neighbors” and “substantial taxpayers,” Texas Central owes the counties in which it owns property nearly $850,000, including $112,381.60 to Harris County and nearly $219,000 to Grimes County, and these amounts continue to grow as interest and penalties grow with the delay in payment. For properties that held an agricultural exemption under the previous property owner, roll back taxes are being assessed on those properties not currently in agricultural production, which adds on a penalty of the delta between the agricultural tax rate and a full commercial tax rate on the property going back five years. Because 2023 property taxes were not paid by July 1, 2024, most counties owed property taxes are pursuing legal action against Texas Central Railway, including Ellis, Freestone, Grimes, Limestone, Madison, Navarro, and Waller Counties.
Delinquent taxes, penalties and attorney fees owed to Counties by Texas Central Railway:
Dallas $80,624.47
Ellis $69,444.02
Freestone $24,125.52
Grimes $218,948.66
Harris $112,381.60
Leon $15,590.42
Limestone $18,120.09
Navarro $34,393.04
Madison $104,195.55
Waller $167,162.47
Total = $844,985.84
Waller County Judge and TAHSR President said of the delinquent taxes, “While the amount of property currently owned by Texas Central is a small fraction of 15,000 acres needed for the proposed HSR project, Texas Central, or what is left of it, is now intentionally placing a financial burden on Counties, school districts, hospital districts, local colleges and emergency service districts.
With Amtrak exploring a partnership with this zombie company, that would create even more of a financial burden…in perpetuity…because Amtrak does not pay any property taxes. Let us not forget what was represented to be a ‘privately-financed project’ was supposed to produce millions of dollars in tax revenue for impacted counties, but if Amtrak takes this project, it actually becomes a huge loss of tax revenue.”
“Additionally, Waller County Sheriff Troy Guidry recently shared with me that there are squatters now living in abandoned houses owned by Texas Central. Legally, with only distressed assets consultants working for Texas Central unaware of the problem and unable to be reached, the neighbors of these drug and crime havens now have to deal with squatters. We are far beyond ‘Enough is enough.’”
Grimes County Judge and TAHSR Board Member Joe Fauth commented on the extent of the burden created by Texas Central’s failure to pay its property taxes saying, “We are in the middle of our budget review and the amount owed by Texas Central to Grimes County would allow us to hire two desperately needed 911 dispatchers. We were promised TCR would be good neighbors and substantial tax payers…neither is true.”
Texas Central’s total for delinquent taxes and fees are set to increase August 1 due to additional interest charged by each County.
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