Harris County commissioners will be faced with a balanced budget for the new fiscal year, Commissioner Tom Ramsey (R, Precinct 3) said Monday afternoon.
The county has been facing a deficit of $48 million as part of its $2.7 billion fiscal 2025 budget, and there has been talk of cutting department budgets and even of raising property rates.
Harris County's budget was strong in the early 2020s largely because of federal grants that were part of the American Rescue Plan Act, but commissioners have been moving into deficits in the past two years as the county offered controversial programs such as a $500 per month payout (or minimum basic income) to 1,900 low-income households.
The county's fiscal year begins October 1st, so commissioners have about five weeks to debate and adopt the 2026 budget.
The current 2025 budget has been a point of contention among the four commissioners and County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the five members of Commissioners Court ,which has split into two sides, some of whom calling for budget cuts versus others who believe any cuts would reduce essential services.
Commissioner Ramsey is expected to explain details of the balanced budget at a news conference Monday afternoon at 4.