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Harris County constables are joined by Harris County commissioners and law-enforcement labor leaders to discuss pay raises for constable deputies on Thursday, May 22, 2025.<\/p>\n
Brett Coomer\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n
If Harris County\u2019s proposed $3.1 billion budget is a declaration of what our county leaders value, the message is clear as bayou water.\u00a0<\/p>\n
County commissioners are staring down a multi-million-dollar deficit and wrestling with an estimated 12% jump in spending<\/a>. They\u2019re asking homeowners to brace for a property tax hike \u2014 one Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey warns could be one of the largest in county history<\/a>.<\/p>\n Commissioners will discuss the budget\u00a0on Sept. 8. We encourage Harris County residents to let commissioners know what they think before then.<\/p>\n The next regular Harris County Commissioners Court meeting where the public can comment is on\u00a0Aug. 25, at 9:00 AM at 1001 Preston St., Houston, TX. You can sign up for a one-minute slot to speak in person here: https:\/\/appearancerequest.harriscountytx.gov\/<\/a> (Sign-ups close one hour prior to the start of the meeting.)<\/p>\n Or you can submit digital comments directly to court members by emailing: CommissionersCourt@harriscountytx.gov\u00a0<\/p>\n And just where would our hard-earned cash be going?<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n In large part, to law enforcement coffers. Pay parity raises matching county officers\u2019 salaries to the Houston Police Department\u2019s account for $78.5 million of the total $327 million expense increase<\/a>. Our eight elected constables, for instance, will now be pocketing a cool $305,000 each after their fourth raise in just three years.\u00a0<\/p>\n Meanwhile, a meager $1 million in recurring general fund dollars is slated for eviction prevention programs \u2014 legal aid and rental assistance \u2014 that could keep thousands of\u00a0Houstonians in their homes. That contradicts the county\u2019s own strategic budget goals, which rank \u201chousing stability\u201d and building \u201ca just, safe county\u201d at the very top.<\/p>\n Paying constables HPD-level salaries would make sense if they actually did HPD-level work<\/a>. But they aren\u2019t automatically dispatched to 911 calls in their precincts. They don\u2019t generally deal with homicides or other violent crimes. They do neighborhood patrols, vacation check-ins and eviction enforcement.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a lopsided investment strategy: We\u2019re generously funding the constables tasked with kicking people from their homes, yet we remain hesitant to fully commit to the diversion programs that could prevent evictions in the first place.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cThere have been no simple solutions,\u201d Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia emphasized during the budget presentation on Monday. \u201cIt hasn\u2019t been an easy process.\u201d<\/p>\n