The proposed Harris County county budget for 2013–14 was presented by the budget management department at Commissioners Court Feb. 12. With increased property tax revenues, continued population growth and the largest ending cash balance in several years, various policy changes were also presented.

Following a new policy adopted in March 2012, which allowed county departments to roll over unspent funds, the ending cash balance in the general fund increased to $240 million—or 18 percent of the total expenditure budget—in 2012, according to Bill Jackson, county budget officer and executive director of the budget management department.

"Each and every department is coming in under budget this year," he said.

The proposed budget listed allocations from the county's general fund for the 2013–14 fiscal year, which begins March 1, 2013 and runs through Feb. 28, 2014.