The Democrat Harris County Commissioners are still facing fierce backlash, a little less than two weeks after passing the largest property tax increase in decades.
Commissioners Lesley Briones, and Adrian Garcia are both up for re-election in November, and both have posted videos on social media trying to defend their position. It has not gone well.
“Pretty much every single comment has been negative, and very angry with these Commissioners, when so many Harris County residents are struggling with affordability issues” said Holly Hansen, reporter with The Texan.
And not only have they been blasted by angry voters, they have also been ‘fact checked’, for their claims that the historic hike is is needed due to unfunded mandates imposed by the Texas Legislature, as well as Medicaid cuts from the Trump administration. Both claims are not true.
“They have blamed what they say are unfunded mandates from the state of Texas, as well as federal budget cuts, but there are no spending increases in the budget that are mandated by the state, and there are no Medicaid cuts” Hansen told KTRH.
And now the big question is, how will voters respond to Briones and Garcia in November?
“We will be watching to see if some of these voters are angry enough to perhaps vote for the Republican candidates, challenging Adrian Garcia and Lesley Briones” noted Hansen.
For Briones, she is going up against former Harris County Commissioner, Steve Radak, while Adrian Garcia is going up against Richard Vega.