Harris County commissioners are looking at potential countywide cuts to address a $130 million budget deficit in the upcoming 2025-26 fiscal year. Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones’ motion to request county departments to adjust their current level of spending from 93% to 90% was approved unanimously by commissioners at the May 22 court meeting.

“I believe we must all be responsible fiduciaries in planning what potential cuts, what potential additional revenue and other options and be as creative and solutions-oriented, so this is not blindly, this is not doomsday,” Briones said. “We will move forward and we will find the best plan forward.”

Digging deeper

Harris County Budget Director Daniel Ramos said while the county remains financially stable, officials will need to make tough policy choices and prioritize services in the upcoming fiscal year that begins in October.

“I don’t think anybody expected the explosion in justice costs, either with indigent defense, [and] with jails,” Ramos said. “Our county’s growing. The demands for service especially in the unincorporated areas are just massive."

(Courtesy Harris County Office of Management and Budget)
Factors impacting the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26 include increasing costs with compensation and health care. (Courtesy Harris County Office of Management and Budget)

Budget forecasts provided by the Harris County Office of Management and Budget found expenses that could impact the county’s fiscal situation in the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26, including:

  • $57 million increase for indigent defense rate costs, case processings that include what Ramos said are aggressively tackling the criminal court backlog
  • $50 million budgeted for pay equity
  • $40 million for county-wide compensation increases
  • $23 million in health care cost increases

Going forward



As county department officials prepare for the upcoming fiscal year budget, budget hearings will take place Sept. 2-5.