Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo urged a reduction in precinct budgets to address a $200 million budget shortfall during a special budget meeting on Thursday.
Her call targeted Commissioners Lesley Briones, Adrian Garcia, and Tom Ramsey, who recently voted to censure her. Hidalgo pressed the commissioners to cut their collective $90 million precinct budgets to help close the deficit.
Hidalgo queried the commissioners, “What are you willing to sacrifice from your $90.3 million budget per precinct to cover the $200 million deficit?” She warned that without such cuts, basic services would face reductions.
Commissioner Tom Ramsey countered Hidalgo’s proposal. Ramsey emphasized that precinct budgets support essential services, including road and bridge maintenance, parks, and community centers, not just administrative expenses. He stated, “Those dollars we have within precincts are for specific services to constituents.”
Ramsey expressed concern over potential punitive measures for dissenting opinions, saying, “Just because you lose votes in Commissioners Court doesn’t mean you punish those who didn’t agree with you.”
Commissioners Briones and Garcia supported Ramsey’s stance, highlighting the role of precinct budgets in fulfilling critical community obligations. They clarified that precinct budgets differ from the general fund, which addresses pay raises and countywide services.
Both commissioners are seeking ways to preserve services amid the budget concerns. Commissioner Garcia remarked, “We’re looking at everything. Looking at it doesn’t mean it’s going to get cut. We’re going to make smart, strategic decisions.”
Briones assured that no fundamental services would face cuts, stating, “No core services on my watch will be cut.”
They mentioned cost-saving approaches like a six-month hiring freeze and leaving certain vacant positions unfilled for over 100 days as potential solutions to free up funds without reducing essential services.
When addressing public trust concerns, Hidalgo encouraged residents to rely on facts. She stated, “People should look at the numbers and past meetings. There’s a lot of smoke and mirrors going on, but the people of this county are smarter than that.”
Hidalgo reiterated her belief that voters should have been consulted before approving pay raises for constables, which she attributes as a factor in the deficit.
She suggested, “Let’s go to the voters. Let’s not cut $100 million in services without asking, ‘Would you like to cover those raises or keep the services?’”
The budget process remains ongoing with additional meetings scheduled in the weeks ahead. A final budget resolution is anticipated by September.
