Homeowners across Cypress, Cy-Fair and Jersey Village will see increases in property taxes, with the opportunity to vote on one of the rate hikes in November.
Four governing bodies that service the three areas voted to increase taxes or put it to the voters for the upcoming fiscal year. The increases will take effect Oct. 1 for Jersey Village and Harris County; Jan. 1, 2027 for Harris County ESD 9; and during the current fiscal for Cy-Fair ISD, which started July 1.
Cy-Fair ISD
The Cy-Fair ISD Board of Trustees set a voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, for the Nov. 3 general election. Voters will decide if they will add $1.1569 per $100 in home value to their tax bills. Trustee Christine Kalmbach was the only board member to oppose the election.
The increase would help compensate for the funding gap that has put CFISD, on average, $1,367 behind other Houston-area districts in funding per student. The state’s homestead exemption, in addition to the local 20% exemption, has worsened the projected $80.9 million budget shortfall.
Additional funding from the proposed increase would be allocated for salaries, utilities, supplies and daily operations, as outlined by state law. The money would also go toward line items like bus routes, which were cut in FY 2024-25 and reinstated the next school year because of parental backlash.
If the voters don’t approve the rate, CFISD will turn to a zero-based budgeting strategy and look at necessary reductions.
Jersey Village
Residents of Jersey Village will have a property tax rate of $0.817625 per $100 in home value for FY 2026-27 after the city council approved the rate in August. Council Member Brian McCauley was the only councilor to oppose it.
The rate is an increase of $0.003 compared with last year, meaning the average homestead will pay $2,238.38 annually in property taxes.
The increase will help the city maintain the current level of service with its $97.56 million budget. The council plans to draw down $7.86 million from the general fund to support phase one of the City Campus Project, a plan to build a new city hall and recreation center.
Harris County ESD 9
Harris County ESD 9, a political subdivision that fiscally supports the Cy-Fair Fire Department, unanimously adopted a property tax rate of $0.045 per $100 in home value during a Sept. 24 special meeting. The increase is the second in the past decade, Commissioner Cameron Dickey said.
For homeowners with a median-valued homestead of $252,480, their property tax will increase to $113.62 or about $1.20 per month.
The increased rate comes as the district is facing a $3.89 million projected shortfall for the FY 2026-27 budget, which commissioners also approved Sept. 24.
Harris County
The Harris County Commissioners Court approved an overall property tax rate of $0.67 per $100 of home value during its Sept. 17 meeting. It is one of the highest tax rates in the county’s modern history and marks a 7.6% increase compared with last year.
The rate hike will cost the average homeowner about $193 more annually, county Office of Management and Budget Director Daniel Ramos said. That amount is calculated based on an average home cost of $400,000.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey opposed the rate increase, and County Judge Lina Hidalgo abstained from the vote. The court also approved a $3.09 billion budget, which Ramsey and Hidalgo opposed.
Cypress, Cy-Fair and Jersey Village fall within Harris County’s borders.
