But new growth hasn't brought new wealth to Bandera County's coffers. Although residential land contributes the largest amount of revenue to the county, its net fiscal impact is actually negative. Residential lands demand even more in service costs, including schools, road maintenance, water and wastewater, courts and public safety, than they provide in revenue. Conversely, ranch and open land in Bandera County generate almost four times more dollars for the county than what the county spends on them.

How is the cost of community services calculated?
COCS studies allocate local budget information to three general types of land use--agricultural/open space, commercial/industrial and residential. The tax revenues generated by each land use category are compared to the dollars spent to provide public services such as roads, schools, fire prevention and law enforcement. The resulting ratios illustrate the net income or losses to the county generated by each category.

How did it add up?
The Bandera County results show:

• Ranch and open land generate four times more in revenues for the county than they require in public service costs.
• For every dollar ranch and open land provides in revenue from property taxes, sales taxes and other revenues, they demand only $0.26 back in services. Alternately, residential development in Bandera County requires $1.10 in services for every tax dollar it generates.

Printed brochure
Download Finding the Balance: Ranching and Rapid Growth in Bandera County, Texas [PDF, 1.11 MB].

For more information
For more information about the Bandera County COCS study, contact Bob Wagner at bwagner@farmland.org or 413-586-4593. For information about American Farmland Trust's consulting services, or for advice on conducting a COCS study for your area, contact Jane Kirchner at jkirchner@farmland.org or 202-378-1231.