After months of pressure from deputies, constables, and law enforcement unions, Harris County Commissioners have voted to move forward with pay raises that would bring sheriff’s deputies and constable officers up to the same pay scale as Houston police. But now the county faces a new challenge: how to pay for it.
The price tag? $142 million for the first year alone, and a total of $270 million when combined with the county’s existing $130 million deficit.
The decision came during a tense commissioners court meeting this week, where law enforcement officers packed the chamber and delivered impassioned speeches demanding action.
READ MORE: Harris County constables demand pay equity for deputies after HPD contract approval
“We’re behind, and the gap is growing,” said Jose Lopez, president of the Harris County Deputies’ Organization. “This is not just data — this is a warning. If we don’t close it, public safety will continue to decline.”
Lopez cited the recent pay deal passed by the Houston City Council, which gave Houston police a 10% raise in the first year and made HPD the highest-paid police department in Texas. He warned that deputies from Harris County are already leaving to work for the city — and more could follow if salaries remain uncompetitive.
A billion-dollar commitment over five years
Budget officials shared that fully implementing the raises to match HPD’s contract over a five-year period would result in $1.07 billion in cumulative spending. County Budget Director Daniel Ramos said the financial gap can’t be solved with one simple cut.
“There isn’t one place where you’re going to take $270 million out of to close the deficit and fully fund these raises,” Ramos told commissioners. “It will have to be a collection of cuts across departments, countywide policy changes, and new approaches.”
To start, county departments — excluding law enforcement — have been instructed to submit 90% current-level service budgets, effectively cutting 10% from operations. That alone could generate between $140–$150 million, according to budget officials.
What could be on the chopping block?
Judge Lina Hidalgo warned that core community services may be at risk without additional funding — services like:
- Public health and mental health programs
- Flood control and emergency management
- Early childhood and housing initiatives
- Animal shelter operations
“This is not going to happen without really painful cuts to really important services,” said Hidalgo. “And the only way to not have that happen is to go to the voters and ask if they’d be willing to support a tax rate election.”
Her motion to protect funding for key programs failed to gain support from other commissioners.
Two philosophies, one big gap
The court remains sharply divided on how to close the deficit. Judge Hidalgo and Commissioner Rodney Ellis advocate for considering a tax rate election — giving voters a chance to weigh in on whether services should be preserved through new revenue.
But others, like Commissioner Tom Ramsey, believe the money is already in the budget — if the court is willing to reprioritize.
“We’ve got a spending problem, not a revenue problem,” Ramsey said. “There’s roughly $500 million in discretionary spending in this budget. That’s where we need to start.”
Ramsey said policy decisions — including outside consulting contracts and one-time initiatives — should be reviewed before asking the public to approve any tax changes.
Next steps: A committee and a countdown
In addition to the pay parity vote, the court also approved a motion by Commissioner Lesley Briones to create a negotiation committee. The group will include representatives from:
- The Sheriff’s Office and Constables
- Harris County Deputies’ unions
- The Office of Management and Budget
- Human Resources and the County Attorney’s Office
- Chiefs of Staff from each court office
The committee’s goal is to identify funding options and report back at each commissioners court meeting, with a clear strategy to secure the $142 million needed for fiscal year 2026 and a long-term plan over five years. “Public safety is non-negotiable,” Briones said. “We cannot afford to lose more deputies to neighboring jurisdictions, and we must make these investments now — but we also have to do it responsibly.”
What’s next?
The court must finalize its budget by October 1, giving department heads and county officials just a few months to work through potential cuts or propose new revenue strategies. A tax rate election remains a possibility — but would require majority support from commissioners and voters.
Judge Hidalgo made her position clear:
“We are not committing to protect funding for homelessness, affordable housing, public health, or mental health — but we are committing to somehow find $270 million that we don’t know where we’re going to find,” she said. “The community deserves honesty about what’s at stake.”
