Harris County commissioners’ funding renewal for immigration legal defense draws backlash
Commissioners on Thursday approved the allocation of more than $1 million for legal defense services as part of the county's Immigrant Legal Services Fund, which was created in 2020. A Republican candidate for county judge spoke out against the funding.
Commissioners approve burn ban, firework restrictions in unincorporated Harris County
Dry weather across the Greater Houston area has recently put several surrounding counties in prolonged drought conditions.
Harris County Commissioners Court approve $2.8 billion budget for 2026 fiscal year
Commissioners Lesley Briones, Tom Ramsey and Adrian Garcia voted in favor of the county's budget during Wednesday's court meeting. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, who has said that it will strike essential county services, and Commissioner Rodney Ellis voted against the budget.
Harris County district clerk who voted for her own raise says she won’t seek reelection
Marilyn Burgess says she was prompted to file a salary grievance — later voting during a grievance committee meeting in favor of a 45% salary increase for herself — in an effort to expose a disparity in pay among the county's elected officials.
Commissioners raise concerns about possible conflict after district clerk votes on own salary raise
The potential salary increase — which would've raised her pay from $179,000 a year to $260,000 a year — appeared to die after commissioners on Thursday did not take up a vote on the request.
Harris County District Clerk votes to give herself $81,000 raise in grievance committee meeting
Marilyn Burgess' current salary is just over $179,000. She originally asked the county's salary grievance committee, on which she serves, to approve an increased salary of $295,000. The committee end up voting for a $260,000 salary, which now awaits approval by county commissioners.
Lina Hidalgo walks out of Harris County Commissioners Court as tensions rise about funding cuts
The disagreement about county spending came weeks after Hidalgo was censured following a chaotic commissioners court meeting and tense discussions about her proposed tax rate hike to continue funding early childcare programs.
Harris County residents urge commissioners, county judge to work together to reduce budget deficit
The messaging from the public comes as Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and a group of commissioners she deemed the "GOP 3" — even though two of them are Democrats like Hidalgo — elevated conflicting accounts of the budget deficit both in a series of news conferences before and during a nearly 12-hour commissioners court meeting on Tuesday.
Harris County commissioners signal support for boosted constable pay despite budget crunch
The proposal could significantly boost their salaries from $178,000 per year to more than $290,000 — a figure that's at least 37% higher than the salary of Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, who also is an elected official.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, two county commissioners present clashing outlooks on budget deficit
Commissioners Lesley Briones and Adrian Garcia, who are Democrats like Hidalgo, differed in their characterization of a projected $270 million budget deficit and how to trim it. They held dueling news conferences Thursday before commissioners court took up discussions on potential cost-saving measures.
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