Coverage of Harris County government: Commissioners Court agendas and votes, the county budget and property tax rate, the Flood Control District, county contracts and audits, and the countywide offices that spend the money. We link the primary document on every claim so you can check us.
The bond propositions on the November 3 ballot carry $1,596,342,438 of estimated interest. Every voter information document reports the tax increase on a $100,000 home as approximately $0.
The county hears a plate reader report October 15 as item 314. Its own agenda record already shows $872,535 approved in one contract year, and a $2 million amendment nobody acted on.
Humble approved about $392,000 for fire and police October 8. The record carries this year’s lease payment on 15 police Tahoes but not the agreement behind it.
Item 93 decides which Harvey flood contracts get the extra year the state granted September 28. Its published text carries no dollar figure and no project list.
ABC13 obtained the per-precinct billing the county would not give. Constable Mark Herman is pushing a countywide Flock policy and asking the Legislature to act in January.
Phase II of the T.C. Jester detention basin is costed at $9.5 million with $600,000 from the 2018 bond. The Flood Control District’s own December update said $2.5 million.
HISD moved Thursday to cut its rate 3.62 cents. About 2.94 cents is the 2025 disaster penny coming off on its own. The same board approved a $24.5 million shortfall in June.
Commissioner Lesley Briones took all 61 Precinct 4 Flock devices offline October 8. Two outlets agree on the total and disagree on what the devices are.
Harris County says it cannot confirm the cost of a new juvenile vocational center in Katy. Its own agenda file shows a $132,859 design contract approved January 9, 2025, funded with commercial paper.
Plummer and Sanchez both pledged future flood bond elections at an October 5 forum. The 2018 bond they would build on has an extended federal deadline and 25 of 181 projects paused.
The registrar says the backlog is cleared. The same statement says hundreds of records still need precinct review, 13 days before early voting.
Eleven counties, 83 municipalities and 980 other entities hold flood authority in one watershed. The statistic driving the consolidation argument carries no citation.