Harris County Commissioners meet on Tuesday and could vote on a property tax hike of nearly 8%.
The proposed combined tax rate would increase by 7.6%, and county officials say the increase would help address an estimated $180 million budget shortfall.
The potential hike is so controversial that Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has gone as far as to call herself a fiscal conservative to show you she opposes it. That said, it’s the massive spending under her watch over two terms that has the county facing these budget issues.
Precinct Three Commissioner Tom Ramsey, the only Republican on the court, opposes the proposed increase.
“When you decide to increase your spending $325 million, then you have no choice but to increase the tax rate to the highest level that we’ve ever seen in Harris County,” Ramsey said.
Ramsey pointed to approximately $550 million in the proposed $3.2 billion budget that he considers non-statutory, meaning the county has discretion over how the money is spent.
“We have a choice. You can look at $550 million and immediately start taking action in terms of cutting and eliminating and addressing problems,” Ramsey said last week.
“And to even consider [the tax rate] going up is fairly outrageous,” he added.
Commissioners Court starts at 9am.