Harris County homeowners face a property tax increase of about $152 a year on a $400,000 home if Commissioners Court formally adopts the proposed rate at a public hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

The hearing, confirmed Tuesday, Aug. 25, by the Office of County Judge Lina Hidalgo on X, is residents' last scheduled chance to weigh in before the county locks in its fiscal year 2027 budget and 2026 tax rates. The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

The proposed rate would jump from 38.1 cents to 41.9 cents per $100 of taxable value. According to KHOU reporting, that would be the highest the county can set without triggering a voter-approval election. The $3.1 billion budget represents a roughly 12% spending increase over last year, driven largely by $89 million in healthcare cost overruns and $76 million for law enforcement pay parity and filling vacant positions.

Budget Director Daniel Ramos told commissioners at an Aug. 18 hearing that spending assumptions proved too low. "When we put this year's budget together, we thought we were being very conservative at 8%, and it came in closer to 12%," Ramos said.

Commissioner Lesley Briones of Precinct 4 attributed the budget strain to unfunded state mandates and federal service cuts, noting Harris County is the fastest-growing area in the country. Commissioner Adrian Garcia of Precinct 2 pointed to what he called President Trump's property tax law and Gov. Greg Abbott's healthcare cuts as factors squeezing county finances.

County officials said priority services would be maintained without layoffs under the proposed budget.

For Clear Lake area residents in unincorporated Harris County or cities that rely on county services, the rate hike would land directly on property tax bills mailed later this fall. Homeowners with taxable values below $400,000 would see a proportionally smaller increase.

The Sept. 8 Commissioners Court meeting is open to the public. Details on how to submit written comments or sign up to speak had not been posted as of Wednesday, Aug. 26. Residents can check harriscountytx.gov or the Commissioners Court agenda for meeting logistics.