Government
BY MELISSA ENAJE
Harris County weighs service cuts in budget
Sorting out details
Proposed FY 202526 service cuts
$47 million: Unspent federal funds + several county department funds $25 million: Hiring freeze $20 million: Renegotiated and consolidated technology contracts $11 million: Elimination of vacant county department positions
Preliminary budget revenue is $2.7 billion, according to the county budget oce, an increase from the approved FY 2024-25 $2.67 billion budget. Expenditures in the next year are estimated to be at least $2.95 billion, an increase from $2.69 billion last scal year. Community members from Harris County Precinct 3 oered feedback on tax dollar spending priorities during a July budget town hall meeting led by Ramos and Commissioner Tom Ramsey. Votes from community members in attendance showcased spending priorities geared toward county initiatives and organizations, including: • Law enforcement raises
Harris County commissioners are considering implementing a yearlong hiring freeze to save at least $25 million in costs to address a projected $200 million-plus shortfall in scal year 2025-26. Commissioners asked county department leaders to identify at least 10% in potential cost-saving opportunities within their current level of services. The county budget will be o cially approved Sept. 18. “It is imperative that we work within our means,” Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said. During the Aug. 26 Commissioners Court
SOURCE: OFFICE OF PRECINCT 4 COMMISSIONER LESLEY BRIONES COMMUNITY IMPACT
meeting, Budget Director Daniel Ramos said the three departments most impacted by personnel freezes would be the engineering o ce, information technology services and public health. County o cials said certain department roles deemed critical would be exempt, including positions within law enforcement, and the county clerk and elections o ces.
• The Harris Center for Mental Health • The Children’s Assessment Center
• Roads, bridges, community centers and parks “The demands for service, especially in the unincorporated areas, are just massive,” Ramos said.
Digging deeper
Proposed $2.7B FY 202526 budget
$1.64B: Public safety, justice $411M: County administration $204M: Commissioners Court
$102M: Engineering $47M: Harris County Public Library, Economic Equity & Opportunity $36M: Pollution Control Services $23M: Housing
Ramos said that while the county remains nancially stable, increasing costs are being accounted for in FY 2025-26 related to justice initiatives such as: • $102 million for law enforcement pay parity • $55 million for indigent defense and reducing the court case backlog • $18 million for jail population management resources
$195M: County-wide expenses, fees $107M: Public Health, Harris Center, Children’s Assessment Center
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGETCOMMUNITY IMPACT
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