Wichita County commissioners spent the bulk of their Dec. 12 meeting debating how to adapt fuel purchasing after a state law, effective July 1, 2025, exempted counties from the state motor-fuel tax.

The court’s presiding official (identified in the transcript as "the judge") summarized the change: "The legislature passed a bill... effective on 07/01/2025 that exempts gasoline and diesel fuel... counties from those taxes," and staff outlined two practical paths: request the tax be removed at purchase or collect gallonage and submit for a refund to the Texas Comptroller’s office if tax is assessed.

Why it matters: County departments buy fuel in several ways — bulk maintenance purchases, vendor contracts and individual vehicle fills charged to county cards. The commissioners said tracking gallons will be essential for claiming refunds; staff noted that Comptroller reimbursements are calculated on gallons, not the price paid.

The court discussed switching more departments to P-cards (fuel cards) tied to individual staff to capture receipts and gallons. Supporters said P-cards and vendor reporting (WEX and similar systems) give ledger data that auditors can package for Comptroller claims; critics warned of administrative burdens and fraud risk. "P-cards are the way to go from this standpoint," the judge said, while others cautioned that moving away from bulk yard fuel could create extra receipts to reconcile.

Operational concerns included: how to require unit numbers and mileage on receipts, how often to submit reimbursement claims, and whether to create a separate budget object code for fuel to simplify tracking. Staff suggested limiting county debit cards in favor of P-cards with named users and raising monthly limits to cover transport and hotel costs.

Officials offered a preliminary scale for potential recovery but said the figure is an estimate and must be validated; one speaker noted a ballpark number of roughly $4,050,000 as a potential cumulative recovery depending on which accounts were included. County staff said they will refine gallon counts, reconcile vendor reporting, and fold P-card rules into the county’s purchasing policy and P‑card authorization form.

Next step: Commissioners asked staff to finalize a purchasing policy that includes P-card controls and to bring it back for approval so departments can begin a controlled rollout and ensure accurate gallon reporting for Comptroller claims.