School superintendents and CFOs must constantly monitor the pulse of our state in order to make good financial decisions for local taxpayers. This week, counties impacted by the recent hurricane all of a sudden have different needs. The Governor’s disaster declarations contain tax and finance provisions that can impact a district's financial well being. 

Following precedent of past governors, Abbott posts related declarations on his website: Governor Abbott Holds Briefing, Press Conference On Hurricane Hanna, Issues Disaster Declaration, Requests Federal Emergency Declaration.

The declaration provides the governor the ability to waive statutes or administrative rules that may hinder the response or recovery, as well as the ability to ask for federal assistance in response to Hurricane Hanna. The declaration always contains a list of counties that the Governor certifies as being impacted by the event. 

WHEREAS, I, GREG ABBOTT, Governor of the State of Texas, do hereby certify that the severe weather from Hurricane Hanna, which began on July 25, 2020, poses a threat of imminent disaster, including property damage and loss of life, due to widespread flooding, storm surge, and hurricane force winds, in Aransas, Bee, Bexar, Brazoria, Brooks, Calhoun, Cameron, Dimmit, Duval, Fort Bend, Galveston, Goliad, Harris, Hidalgo, Jackson, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, La Salle, Live Oak, Matagorda, McMullen, Nueces, Refugio, San Patricio, Starr, Victoria, Webb, Wharton, Willacy, and Zapata counties;

Many disaster declarations are amended and expanded after the initial release. - js - webmaster@texasisd.com