Republicans Cagle, Ramsey agree to attend Monday meeting on Harris County tax rate compromise plan
The two Republican members of Harris County Commissioners Court said Friday they would attend a special meeting Monday to discuss a compromise tax rate proposal by Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia, potentially ending a month-long impasse that has held up budgetary decisions and become a significant issue in November's county judge and commissioners races.
Garcia's proposal, unveiled in a Friday morning news conference, would set the overall property tax rate at 56.3 cents per $100 of assessed value, 1.2 cents lower than the rate originally proposed by the Democratic majority. Garcia's plan also calls for an additional $20 million to hire 200 additional law enforcement officers, echoing Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey's call for 200 additional law enforcement"boots on the ground." It also includes a 2.
Cagle said would attend the Monday meeting as long as he receives confirmation from the County Attorney's office that commissioners will not be allowed to pass any budget proposal during the session, according to his office. The original tax rate proposed by the Democratic majority would have generated more than $250 in additional revenue. Cagle's proposal last week would reduce that by $101 million. Garcia's plan would cut the additional tax money by $66 million.
“I was very clear on September 6th that my proposal was $20 million for 200 patrol officers for sheriffs and constables countywide — 100 for sheriffs and 100 constables. $20 million for law enforcement is not the same thing,” Ramsey said in an emailed statement."We need to limit the amount of tax dollars taken from the residents. Commissioner Garcia wants to take over $180 million in additional tax revenue, and I don’t agree with that.
Commissioners Court is also scheduled to meet Tuesday, after this week's meeting was cut short when Hidalgo had to leave because of illness. The agenda includes 244 items, including a measure to adopt an overall county tax rate of 57.5 cents per $100 in assessed value. That rate could be amended at the table should the court members come to an agreement.
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