HOUSTON – Harris County commissioners have tentatively approved a proposed property tax rate increase as part of the county’s budget process, with another vote and public hearing scheduled for September 17.
The proposed rate represents an increase of 9.6% and is capped at 41.75 cents per $100 of taxable property value.
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The rate is not yet final. Commissioners are expected to take another vote during the September 17 public hearing before the county can officially adopt the tax rate.
What could it mean for homeowners?
For a homeowner with a $300,000 home, the increase is estimated at about $138 more per year.
But that estimate will not apply equally to every homeowner.
The actual impact on a property tax bill depends on the property’s taxable value and any exemptions the homeowner receives.
The proposed rate includes roughly 36 cents for maintenance and operations and about 5 cents for county debt.
Hidalgo raises concerns about future funding
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo voted in favor of the proposed tax rate but raised concerns about how some programs in the county’s budget will be funded.
Hidalgo said an estimated $45 million in revenue would be one-time funding.
That means some programs included in the budget would not have guaranteed funding beyond the next year.
Hidalgo said she wants the county to identify recurring sources of funding for those programs in future budgets rather than relying on one-time money.
What’s next?
The proposed property tax rate still needs to go through the next step in the county’s approval process.
A public hearing and additional vote are scheduled for September 17.
Until that process is complete, the proposed rate remains subject to final approval.
For Harris County property owners, the next vote will determine whether the proposed rate becomes the county’s official property tax rate for the upcoming budget year.
