News Room

HARRIS COUNTY, TX – Commissioners Ramsey and Cagle opted not to attend today’s Commissioners Court meeting to prevent the passage of a $256M tax revenue increase. The month-long stalemate continues as it was the third meeting in a row posted with the same proposed tax rates that Commissioners Ramsey and Cagle previously deemed as unacceptable.

Today, law enforcement officers showed up in force to support Commissioners Ramsey and Cagle’s proposal to fund 200 additional patrol officers that would relieve an overwhelmed work force. The officers were unable to address the Court, as the meeting was cut short with Judge Hidalgo leaving for “health reasons”.

A post on Precinct 5 Constable Ted Heap’s Office Facebook page stated:

“At a time when crime is sweeping over our city, we need more actual boots on the ground to protect your families, neighborhoods and businesses. Let Harris County know that we need more deputies, not more cutbacks!”

Prior to her early departure, Judge Hidalgo along with Commissioners Ellis and Garcia did not approve Precinct 3 and 4’s projects for the third Commissioners Court in a row.

Statement from Commissioner Tom Ramsey:

“I am disappointed by the lack of leadership coming from Judge Hidalgo to get this resolved. She has yet to respond to Commissioner Cagle’s request for a special meeting, and concluded today’s meeting without a plan on how to handle the budget proposals.

Judge Hidalgo and Commissioners Ellis and Garcia continue to retaliate against Precinct 3 and 4 constituents for their wishes of a more fiscally responsible budget. Keeping our projects off the consent agenda are not actions of people who want to compromise. Punishing constituents and withholding payments to contractors that are unrelated to our budget and tax discussions are out of line, unprofessional, and flat out wrong.”

Harris County continues to operate with the same budget as the previous year of $2.1B.