Most Harris County commissioners supported a movement this week to advance pay raises for the county’s eight elected constables.
The proposal might considerably increase their salaries from $178,000 per 12 months to greater than $290,000 — a determine that’s at the very least 37% increased than the wage of Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, who is also an elected official.
Proponents of boosted wages for county legislation enforcement businesses say they’re essential to retain certified officers and meet pay parity with the Houston Police Division — which pays its highest-ranking officer, Chief Noe Diaz, greater than $320,000, in response to the Houston Chronicle. Discussions about elevated wages for constables come a number of months after commissioners authorized pay raises for constable’s and sheriff’s workplace deputies.
On Thursday, a movement to extend pay for Harris County constables superior following preliminary approval by Democratic Commissioners Lesley Briones and Adrian Garcia in addition to Republican Commissioner Tom Ramsey. The trio was labeled the “GOP 3” by Harris County Decide Lina Hidalgo, who accused them of eager to spend cash that the county doesn’t have.
RELATED: Harris County Decide Lina Hidalgo, 2 commissioners current clashing outlooks on price range deficit
The Thursday development means the proposal shall be up for consideration in mid-September, when commissioners are anticipated to make selections on the county’s price range and vote on potential cost-saving measures as a mounting price range deficit stands in the way in which.
Daniel Ramos, the county’s price range director, mentioned there’s a set course of for elected official salaries that requires the county to put up discover and permit for an appeals course of at the very least 10 days earlier than commissioners undertake the 2025-26 price range.
Final week, Commissioner Rodney Ellis, a Democrat, mentioned the proposal made him really feel uneasy whereas the county faces a deficit of at the very least $200 million. The deficit practically doubled earlier this 12 months after commissioners voted to extend deputy wages.
However on Thursday, Ellis launched a movement for the Workplace of Administration and Finances to return with suggestions on pay parity for all elected officers except commissioners court docket. That proposal and one to extend the sheriff’s wage to be in step with that of Diaz was authorized by commissioners and can advance into upcoming price range discussions.
Hidalgo mentioned the constable raises would come at the price of important county providers. She as an alternative instructed that commissioners pay for the raises from their very own workplace budgets, however her movement was not supported by any of the 4 commissioners.
“I might like to assist it however as a accountable steward of taxpayer {dollars}, I make the movement to assist it as long as we now have the funds to cowl it and people funds ought to come from the workplaces of the commissioners that want to use cash that we shouldn’t have,” she mentioned.
Hidalgo and Ellis additionally voted towards rising deputy wages in Could, saying the transfer will solely exacerbate the county’s monetary issues. A negotiation committee was created on the time that’s charged with discovering cash within the price range to assist the raises.
The commissioners and county choose’s dueling outlooks on the county’s price range observe different tense clashes in latest weeks. It additionally got here days after commissioners voted to censure Hidalgo following a dialogue about her proposed tax price enhance to fund youngster care packages. A chaotic commissioners court docket assembly final week prompted commissioners’ requires order to be restored throughout continued interruptions. Additionally they voted final week to amend the court docket’s guidelines on decorum.
Mark Hermann, the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable, praised the commissioners who supported the raises on Thursday. Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen mentioned constables will determine a method to assist their elevated wages that may be impartial within the price range.
“Commissioner Briones, Commissioner Ramsey, Commissioner Garcia, the three of you’ll go down in historical past as saving Harris County legislation enforcement,” Hermann mentioned. “There isn’t a doubt in my thoughts.”
In return, Garcia requested that constables set up a working group to perform dispatching consolidation.
