What is a commissioners court, anyway?

The Texas Constitution specifies that a commissioners​ ​court—the governing body for a county—consists​ ​of a county judge who effectively serves as the​ ​CEO of the county and four​ ​commissioners who each​ ​serve a precinct.

The court is responsible for county operations,​ ​roads and bridges, financial management, the​ ​county justice system, public health and infrastructure.​

Financial responsibility for the county includes​ ​setting the tax rate, authorizing expenditures and​ ​issuing bonds. Commissioners also call for bond​ ​elections needed in the county: For Travis County,​ ​this might be seen this fall as commissioners work to​ ​secure funding for roadway infrastructure and parks.

Construction and maintenance of roads and​ ​bridges that are not part of the state highway system​ ​are a major focus for the court. A commissioners​ ​court works with the county’s cities as well as​ ​regional and state transportation organizations on​ ​major projects.