"DREAM COMES TRUE" SOUTHMOST COUNTY TAX OFFICE OPENS

(City of Brownsville and Cameron County elected officials attended the ribbon cutting of the Southmost Area Tax Assessor Collector's Office and joined department head Tony Yzaguirre to celebrate the completion of the new facility located adjacent to Cromack Elementary Friday.)

 

Special to El Rrrun-Rrun

Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector Tony Yzaguirre remembers having to go from his Southmost-area home on 27th Street downtown to the county building on Harrison Street to make his late mother's property tax payments or renew his license plates.

In fact, for many years, it was the only place where residents could do their tax business. After he became the county's tax assessor-collector, Yzaguirre set about to establish satellite offices across the county and in collaboration with banks and other municipal entities, provided access to tax office services to residents with no less than 10 offices countywide.

"It was like bringing the mountain to Muhammad, or in this case, the mountain to the barrio," he commented during the ribbon cutting of the newest satellite multi-purpose tax and county office in his old neighborhood where he grew up. "It will not only provide access for tax office matters, but to the rest of the county services as well. It had been due for many years."

Sadly, his mother will not be around to see it. She passed away this past Monday at 95. 

Among those attending the ribbon cutting was County Judge Eddie Treviño and Cameron County Pct. 1 Commissioner Sofie Benavides who helped Yzaguirre cut the ribbon at the facility located at 3000 Southmost. 

"Southeast Brownsville has been the fastest-growing area in the city for years and these services were badly needed," said Benavides who represents this area. It's finally coming true."

"This new tax office had been a badly needed for years, and we were happy to help Tony work to bring these services to our area," Benavides said. "It will provide convenience and service to all county residents, not just those who live in the Southnost area. We're happy to see it become a reality."  

The new building covers 3,597 square feet situated on a 1.31-acre tract at a cost of $2.82 million. 

The land was donated to Cameron County by the City of Brownsville and the Brownsville Independent School District. The project had been in the works since February 2018 when the Southmost water tower was demolished by the Brownsville Public Utilities Board.

The tax office will consist of three drive-through lanes, five teller stations inside, seating capacity for 52 customers, and a state-of-the-art ticketing system to serve customers. 

It will collect current and delinquent property taxes, allow payment agreements for all delinquent accounts, payments for individuals over 65 years of age, title transfers, motor vehicle renewals, Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission license renewals for liquor, wine, and beer, collections for new and used-car dealership vehicle inventory tax, as well as marriage license through the Cameron County Clerk's Office.

Additionally, the lobby area will include two kiosk work stations, one for the county clerk and another for the Cameron County District Clerk's Office for services such as obtaining deed records and/or court record information.

"Bringing county services to my old neighborhood has been personally rewarding to me, just as establishing these services to our other county communities and municipalities," Yzaguirre said. "Every time I visited with my mother, she would always ask whether the Southmost office was open yet. I only wished she could have been around to see it."