Wray made the announcement during the Ellis County Commissioners Court meeting Tuesday, Aug. 18, at the Historic Ellis County Courthouse in Waxahachie. As county judge, Wray presides over Commissioners Court and serves as the county’s chief budget officer. Wray said the fiscal year 2026 budget appears to have underestimated tax revenue by about $6 million. After reviewing figures from fiscal years 2023 through 2025, he said the total amount collected beyond what the county budgeted to spend could potentially reach $20 million over four years. “Ellis County appears to have collected significantly more tax money than it budgeted to spend over the last four years, and we cannot account for where the money went,” Wray told. Wray’s comments raised serious questions, but they did not establish that $20 million is missing. He described the figure as a preliminary estimate that still needs to be examined and reconciled through a detailed financial review. According to Wray, he alerted the Ellis County and District Attorney’s Office and other county officials about his concerns. He said the district attorney recommended hiring an independent auditing firm to conduct a deeper examination of county finances. Wray said he will begin looking for a qualified firm and bring a proposal — including the projected cost — before Commissioners Court as soon as possible. He repeatedly cautioned residents against assuming wrongdoing or placing blame before the review is completed. “I still believe this situation occurred due to good-faith human error,” Wray said. “I am not assigning blame to anyone.” No audit firm has been selected, and Wray did not provide a timeline for when the review could begin or when its findings might be released. “I can assure you that we will perform a thorough investigation, and we will find answers,” he said. “The public has a right to know about this troubling situation.” John Wray was appointed county judge in May 2025 following Todd Little’s departure, meaning most of the four-year period now under review occurred before Wray took office. His call for an outside audit now puts the focus on getting a clear accounting of what happened to the money and giving taxpayers answers. Video of the announcement is available on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLQEjWAjSBA