Harris County Commissioners Court Will Vote On Property Tax Rate For 2016

Al Ortiz

The Harris County Commissioners Court is scheduled to vote on a new property tax rate next week.

It is possible they will approve maintaining the same rate that was applied in 2015, but that doesn't mean the tax bills will not go up.

Judge Ed Emmett and the Commissioners will have to decide whether they approve a tax rate of 62.998 cents per every 100 dollars of the taxable value of homes located in Harris County.

The general tax rate combines the revenue collected for the county, the Port of Houston and the Hospital and Flood Control Districts.

Although the general tax rate presented to the Commissioners Court is the same as last year, there are slight increases in the rates for the Hospital and Flood Control Districts.

Bill Jackson, the county's budget officer, explains the increase is partly because of the upgrades Ben Taub Hospital needs to maintain its Level One Trauma status.

"We just did 70 million dollars' worth of improvements, or have authorized those, and those bonds have been issued and, so, that will be the principal and interest payment this next year on that and, so, that’s why that went up," Jackson explains.

Regardless of whether the Commissioners Court approves the same tax rate as in 2015, it is likely tax bills will increase for homeowners in Harris County because of rising property values.

The vote is scheduled for next Wednesday, October 19th.