HOUSTON — Harris County commissioners approved a $3.1 billion budget Thursday and finalized a 7.6% increase in the county’s property tax rate for the 2027 fiscal year.
Commissioners voted 3-1 to approve a combined tax rate of $0.67 per $100 of assessed property value, up from $0.62 last year. The increase will add about $198 to the annual tax bill for the typical affected resident, according to county figures.
The tax rate combines levies from four county taxing entities, including Harris County, the Harris County Flood Control District, Harris Health and the Port of Houston Authority.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo left the courtroom shortly before commissioners voted on the tax rate. She said her departure served as a symbolic objection to what she described as an unsustainable budget.
“We can’t just keep kicking the can down the road, that’s what we’re voting for,” Hidalgo said.
Democratic Commissioners Lesley Briones, Rodney Ellis and Adrian Garcia defended the budget after the vote, pointing to reductions in federal funding and higher healthcare costs that they said have placed additional pressure on county finances.
The county faced a projected $180 million budget deficit and plans to close the gap through a combination of property tax revenue, the sale of underused county properties and higher fees.
Commissioners also approved a motion directing an evaluation of the county’s employee healthcare plans. The court discussed potentially requiring higher premium contributions from employees earning more than $130,000 annually.
Ellis said the county should proceed carefully with any changes to employee healthcare benefits.
“So I’ve been one of the folks, one of the voices very sensitive about trying to balance the budget on the backs of those hard working employees that stayed here,” Ellis said. “And if we are going to do that, we need to give them plenty of advanced notice to do it.”
Hidalgo criticized the approved spending plan after the vote and said commissioners should have delayed the decision to restructure the budget.
She said the county could have reduced what she described as wasteful spending while maintaining community programs.
The county’s new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
“We are public officials and we serve at the pleasure of taxpayers,” Hidalgo said. “Right now we are being afraid to have discussions in front of the community.”
