Fort Bend County Commissioners Court held a special session July 28 to discuss a proposed fiscal year 2021-22 county budget of $443.6 million, a 4.7% increase from last year’s budget.

According to Pamela Gubbels, director of finance and investments for the county, this proposal is designed based on a potential property tax rate decrease of $0.006. In fiscal year 2020-21, the total county tax rate and drainage district tax rate together was $0.453207, which would make next year’s combined rate approximately $0.447 with the decrease.

This lowering is in response to a 6.63% property value increase in Fort Bend County last year, along with a 6.7% value increase in the drainage district, Gubbels said.

Gubbels said the budget for the county will be filed by Sept. 7, and she plans to bring an amended version back to the commissioners in August, following this special session discussion.