Harris County approves 2013-14 budget

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The Harris County budget for the 2013-2014 fiscal year was adopted Feb. 26 by Harris County Commissioners Court and went into effect March 1.

The budget contains $1.55 billion in expenditures and $1.3 billion in estimated revenue, with several increases from the adopted 2012-2013 fiscal budget. The administration of justice budget received an increase of $8.4 million over the prior year's budget with about $5 million of the increase coming from the Public Defender's Office. The increase is due to a loss in grant funding from 80 percent to 20 percent this year.

Other increases in the budget include $5 million in infrastructure and systems and a $3.5 million rise in fiscal services and purchasing. Law enforcement—which accounts for more than a third of the budget—experienced a $500,000 decrease from the proposed 2012 budget, although the estimated expenditures for the last fiscal year were nearly $16 million less than the proposed budget.

Since departments roll over unspent funds each year, several areas received a boost in beginning cash, including $240 million in the general fund, $209.9 million in the mobility fund and $29.9 million rise in the PIC Fund. The total amount of beginning cash is more than $1.9 billion.

A report on roll-over budgets will be presented in April or May, while a capital project report will be given June 25 and a mid-year review will be presented Sept. 24.