Government
BY MELISSA ENAJE
By a 3-2 vote, Harris County commissioners adopted the $2.76 billion scal year 2025-26 general fund budget Sept. 24, prioritizing pay parity and public safety initiatives. Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo cast the dissenting votes. In the months leading up to budget adoption, county ocials weighed how to oset at least $102 million in savings. The county implemented a yearlong hiring freeze for various department leaders to identify service cuts. Harris County adopts budget
From the $2.76 billion general fund budget, $2.57 billion will be allocated to the 70 Harris County departments, aiming to:
Some context
Law enforcement pay parity has reached various points at Commissioners Court, starting with a motion commissioners approved May 22 that paved the way for increasing county law enforcement pay. By Sept. 9, commissioners approved a motion, with a 3-1 vote, to increase elected constables’ salaries to $260,000.
Support pay parity initiatives for law enforcement and county employees
Expand the District Attorney’s Oce
Grow the Harris County Flood Control District maintenance program
Commissioners are expected to approve the county’s property tax rate of $0.6241 per $100 of valuation by the end of October, after press time. Harris County: $0.3809 per $100 of valuation Harris County Port of Houston Authority:
“The time had come to show our sheri’s deputies and constable deputies that Harris County truly values the critical role they play in community safety.” ED GONZALEZ, HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF
$0.0059 per $100 of valuation Harris County Hospital District: $0.1876 per $100 of valuation Harris County Flood Control District: $0.0496 per $100 of valuation
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY ADMINISTRATION OFFICECOMMUNITY IMPACT
On the other hand
justice initiatives such as reducing the court backlog and jail population, indigent defense costs, as well as pay equity for employees and law enforcement. “Our county’s growing,” Ramos said. “The demands for service especially in the unincorpo- rated areas are just massive.” In their words Community members from Harris County Precinct 3 oered feedback on tax dollar spending priorities during a July budget town hall meeting led by Commissioner Tom Ramsey and Ramos. Prioritized needs identied included:
After more than a decade of holding the overall tax rate steady, according to budget documents, Harris County lowered its combined tax rate every year between 2019 and 2023, in part to oset large increases in property values and to comply with the state revenue caps. On the other hand, Harris County’s estimated tax rate for FY 2025-26 is $0.6241 per $100 evaluation, higher than the $0.6038 per $100 evaluation in FY 2024-25. Budget Director Daniel Ramos said while the county remains nancially stable, state-mandated revenue caps have created what he called substan- tial scal pressure amidst increasing costs related to
• Law enforcement raises • The Harris Center for Mental Health • The Children’s Assessment Center
• Roads, bridges, community centers and parks Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones said in a September news release the budget funds several initiatives such as funding debris removal, sidewalk construction, and pedestrian safety. “Our Harris County budget is more than a nancial document,” Briones said. “It reects our values...public safety, public health, infrastructure, and disaster readiness.”
Adopted $2.76B FY 202526 budget Factors impacting county department cuts in the budget process, according to the FY 2025-26 budget document, included jail and indigent defense costs, health care costs and law enforcement contracts.
More details
County administration, other county oces
$1.66B
Public safety & justice (district courts, district attorney's oce, constables, sheri) $410M Engineering Department (i.e. infrastructure, transportation projects) $194M Harris County Public Library, Economic Equity & Opportunity $193M Housing and Community Development, Veterans Services $107M Countywide £nancial obligations (TIRZ payments, jail outsourcing) $99M Harris County Judge's Oce, Commissioners (Precincts 1-4) $48M Pollution Control Services Department $36M Public Health Services, Harris Center for Mental Health, Children's Assessment Center $23M
The county’s employee minimum wage policy, $20 per hour for employees and $21.64 for contractors, took eect with the budget adoption. Service cuts will not aect community- facing services, such as parks, road maintenance and community centers. “This budget re ects hard choices and shared commitment,” interim County Administrator Jesse Dickerman said.
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY BUDGET OFFICECOMMUNITY IMPACT
17
CYFAIR JERSEY VILLAGE EDITION
Powered by FlippingBook