Overview
- Harris County commissioners approved a combined tax rate increase from $0.6241 to $0.6715 per $100 of assessed value and adopted a nearly $3.1 billion budget.
- County budget officials said the change will raise the average homestead bill by about $188 a year for a $400,000 home and that the budget still depends on one-time revenues such as property sales.
- The vote was 3–1, with Commissioners Rodney Ellis, Lesley Briones and Adrian Garcia in favor and Tom Ramsey opposed, and County Judge Lina Hidalgo walked out during the rate vote citing concerns about rising recurring costs.
- Harrison County separately approved a smaller tax increase that county officials estimate will add about $15 a year to a $100,000 home while leaving cost-of-living raises out of the budget and boosting retirement contributions.
- Officials in both counties blamed state revenue limits and unfunded mandates for the gaps, and leaders warned that reliance on temporary fixes and growing costs for deputies, health care and indigent defense could force service cuts or layoffs without structural funding changes.