Editor's note: Story has been updated to include shuttle services from Precinct 3.

An opportunity to weigh in on how Harris County officials manage the county’s roughly $5.2 billion budget is coming to community centers in precincts 3 and 4 this August.

Why it matters

At the town hall meetings, residents will be invited to share with their precinct commissioner their thoughts on how tax dollars should be prioritized and spent.

“General fund is property tax bills,” Budget Director Daniel Ramos said. “That is the most flexible of our funding. That is what primarily funds our justice systems, our courts, our public safety entities, general county administration like my salary, the commissioners, and that makes up about 44% of the overall budget.”



Attendees will also be able to hear from county budget officials about next year’s funding, where the money is coming from and what special projects are being funded in the community.

Put in perspective

At Precinct 1’s town hall meeting held at St. John’s Church in downtown Houston on Aug. 2, attendees wrote concerns on a piece of paper that was read by county staff for officials to answer. Some of the topics discussed at the Aug. 2 meeting included:

  • Funding community bike lanes
  • Inquiring how much funding is being allocated to support the availability and affordability of homes to vulnerable populations
  • Pollution control in Third Ward
County officials will ask those attending the town halls to participate in an interactive activity that will provide a snapshot of what projects are important to each precinct. Ramos said his office will gather each county's responses and report it at a future Commissioners Court meeting.

Precinct 1 covers more than 1 million residents within neighborhoods such as Third Ward, Fifth Ward, Houston Heights and Montrose. Here is a snapshot of the areas of concern voted by those in attendance:
  1. Housing
  2. Economic opportunity
  3. Transportation
  4. Justice and safety
  5. Flooding
  6. Public health
  7. Environment
  8. Governance and customer service
Quote of note


“Historically Harris County has been in very strong financial shape in part because the county didn’t fund a lot of the things that you all are suggesting and didn’t fund a lot of the things that we had decided to fund. So we would brag about being low tax. We wouldn’t talk too much about being low in services,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said.

Get involved

Two upcoming town hall meetings will take place for residents within precincts 3 and 4 in August. While town hall meetings for precincts 1 and 2 already took place, anyone who missed their precinct's meeting can attend any of the remaining sessions or wait to hear from the county for future budget-related events, said Brooke Boyett, Harris County administration communications director.

Precinct 3
  • Aug. 14
  • 6 p.m.
  • George H.W. Bush Community Center, 6827 Cypresswood Drive, Spring

Free shuttle service will be available from the following Precinct 3 Community Centers, according to officials. Space is limited and preregistration is required. Guests are advised to call the community center to save a spot.

Barrett Station/Riley Chambers Community Center
  • 808 1/2 Magnolia Ave., Crosby
  • Departs at 3:45 p.m.
  • To register, call 713- 274-2040.
Crosby Community Center
  • 409 Hare Road, Crosby
  • Departs at 4:15 p.m.
  • To register, call 832-927-7730.
Vera May Community Center
  • 2100 Wolf Road, Huffman
  • Departs at 4:30 p.m.
  • To register, call 713-274-2434.
San Jacinto Community Center
  • 604 Highland Woods Drive, Highlands
  • Departs at 4:15 p.m.
  • To register, call 713-274-2860.
Trini Mendenhall Community Center
  • 1414 Wirt Road, Houston
  • Departs at 4:30 p.m.
  • To register, call 713-274-3200.

Precinct 4

  • Virtual Aug. 9
  • In person Aug. 10
    • 6-7 p.m.
    • Bayland Community Center, 6400 Bissonnet St., Houston