Harris County Commissioners Court adopted the 2017 tax rate Tuesday morning, among other actions. The total tax rate is unchanged at 63 cents per $100 of assessed property value among taxing entities in the county, consisting of:
  • Harris County: 42 cents
  • Harris County Flood Control District: 3 cents
  • Port of Houston Authority: 1 cent
  • Harris County Hospital District: 17 cents
Here are several other items discussed during the meeting:
  1.  Harris County Flood Control District buyout program: To address repetitive flooding in Houston prior to Hurricane Harvey, the district and the city of Houston will execute an agreement for reimbursement by the city of HCFCD's voluntary home buyout program. Funds will come from a $10.6 million Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery grant for HCFCD to pursue buyouts on the city’s behalf, according to a press release from HCFCD. Commissioners approved that agreement as well as 41 properties for a Flood Mitigation Assistance grant submitted by HCFCD in 2016, funding for which came from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
  2. Lawyers call for new court space: Two attorneys spoke during the public comment session asking the court to consider a replacement for the Criminal Justice Center, which was damaged during Tropical Storm Harvey and normally houses the county's 16 criminal courts. The speakers cited flooding concerns at the building and a general lack of space to accommodate the public. “That building was obsolete the day it opened,” said Tucker Graves, president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association.
  3. Fire Prevention Week: Commissioners passed a resolution declaring the week of Oct. 8 to be Fire Prevention Week and were treated to a fire safety demonstration by a Harris County Fire Marshall’s office dog, Cinder.