The Harris County Commissioners Court approved a $3.09 billion budget and one of the highest property tax rates in the county’s history with a split vote during its Sept. 17 meeting.
What you need to know
Taxpayers will see a 7.6% property tax rate increase in comparison with last year after the court approved a rate of $0.67 per $100 of home value with a 3-1 vote. The court also adopted the 2026-27 budget amid a projected shortfall of about $181 million with a 3-2 vote.
The property tax rate increase will cost the average homeowner $193 per year, Harris County Office of Management and Budget Director Daniel Ramos previously said. That rate is calculated based on an average home cost of $400,000.
“The FY27 budget reflects the financial realities facing the County while continuing to fund essential services and priority investments,” Ramos said in a statement. “The budget process required us to carefully evaluate projected costs, available revenues and opportunities to manage expenditures while maintaining the County’s current level of service.”
Some of the major drivers of cost were healthcare, pay equity and the justice system. Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones said the county’s cost to provide healthcare increased $89 million this year compared with last.
The court also approved pay raises for law enforcement and some elected officials in August, with the constables, district attorney, county attorney, district clerk and tax assessor-collector set to make $305,000 annually.
The budget includes $15 million in additional funding for indigent defense, with the goal of the county’s Public Defender’s Office to represent 50% of eligible cases, according to a press release.
The court oversees tax rates for the county’s general fund, the Harris County Flood Control District, the Port of Houston Authority and Harris Health. It also sets the budget for those entities, with the exception of the port authority.
About 80% of the county’s budget is funded through property taxes.
The budget includes funding for programs Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis and Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones championed in the weeks leading up to the meeting.
Ellis requested additional funding for community safety programs and strategies, and Briones requested money for worker safety and benefit programs. The programs will cost $4.5 million and $1.4 million, respectively.
What they’re saying
Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey opposed the tax rate hike, and County Judge Lina Hidalgo was absent for the vote after she “symbolically stepped out,” Hidalgo explained during a press conference. Ramsey and Hidalgo also voted against the adopted budget.
During a press conference, Hidalgo said the budget “kicks the can down the road again” and doesn’t take steps to break the deficit.
“The fact of the matter is, it’s an irresponsible budget,” Hidalgo said. “It’s an unsustainable budget.”
The court preliminarily approved the 7.6% increase during its Sept. 8 meeting. Ramsey and Hidalgo also did not vote in favor of the increase then.
Ellis said during a press conference that the adoption was a “tough vote.”
“Today, we passed a budget for working people in Harris County,” Ellis said. “It was not an easy thing to do, but it was the right thing to do. And we had to do it today.”
The adopted budget and tax rates come as the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
Briones said the decision to raise taxes was “in the best interests of the people of Harris County.”
“Yes, homeowners, your taxes are gonna go up a bit ... ,” Briones said. “I don’t take that lightly as someone who grew up check-to-check. But you know what will be more expensive? If we start slashing these critical services that you and your families depend on.”
Montgomery and Collin counties, among the largest counties by population in Texas, also approved property tax increases this year, Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said.
Briones and Garcia are seeking re-election in November’s general election.
Also of note
Hidalgo announced during the meeting that the court will discuss Flock cameras during its Oct. 15 meeting.
The court passed a motion that directs several county departments, including the Sheriff’s and Constables’ Offices, to present a report on the county’s current landscape of ALPRs, or automatic license plate readers. The report will include:
Summary of ALPR technology and its use
Number and location of ALPRs
Amount of money spent on the ALPRs
Which agencies have access to ALPR data
What other jurisdictions are doing to safeguard the ALPR data
Commissioners will hold a business court meeting Sept. 22 before the next commissioners court meeting Oct. 15.
Harris County Commissioners Court meetings are held at 9 a.m. in Downtown Houston. The administration building is located at 1001 Preston St., Houston. Meetings are also available to livestream.
