Fort Bend County residents in Missouri City and Stafford could lose $21 million in county services if two Democratic commissioners continue boycotting meetings past a Sept. 10 tax-rate vote.

Interim County Judge Daniel Wong and Commissioners Andy Meyers and Vincent Morales, the court's three Republican members, voted Thursday, Aug. 13, to approve a proposed tax rate for the fiscal year 2027 budget, ABC13 reported. But under Texas law, four of the court's five members must be present to finalize a tax rate. Commissioners Grady Prestage and Dexter McCoy, both Democrats, have not attended a meeting since June 25.

That means the vote was symbolic.

Without a fourth commissioner in the room on Sept. 10, the county cannot adopt its proposed $792 million budget.

"Now, one thing we want to make clear, if we don't have four present for the Sept. 10 adoption of the tax rate, then this is not going to be the tax rate we end up with," Precinct 3 Commissioner Meyers said at Thursday's meeting.

County Auditor Ed Sturdivant warned during an Aug. 5 budget workshop that failing to adopt the proposed rate would cost the county roughly $21 million in revenue and trigger a recovery period of up to five years, according to the Houston Chronicle. The county's AAA bond rating could also be at risk.

Budget Director Pamela Gubbels told commissioners during an Aug. 6 workshop that a $10.4 million placeholder for roughly 3% cost-of-living raises for county employees, including sheriff's deputies, road crews and parks workers, would disappear without a quorum, Houston Public Media reported.

About $70 million the county has already advanced for road projects and $5 million for park projects would also stall, with bond transactions delayed until after the Nov. 3 election.

The standoff adds an unusual layer: Wong is the Republican nominee for Fort Bend County judge in the Nov. 3 election, and McCoy is the Democratic nominee for the same seat.

The boycott centers on Wong, whom visiting Republican District Judge Jeth Jones appointed in April after suspending elected County Judge KP George following a felony conviction. The civil lawsuit that triggered Wong's appointment was dismissed June 17, and County Attorney Bridgette Smith-Lawson has since filed a quo warranto suit to remove him.

Prestage and McCoy say they cannot participate while Wong presides. McCoy said in a statement Thursday that Wong's failure to produce a legal order or step aside from critical votes continues to hold the county hostage and risks financial calamity.

Wong told ABC13 he will not step aside unless a court orders it.

The court timeline works against a quick resolution. Briefs on temporary injunctive relief are due Aug. 28, with motions due Sept. 10, a hearing set for Oct. 16 and trial scheduled for Nov. 10, according to the Houston Press. Every one of those dates falls after the Sept. 10 tax-rate deadline.

As we reported Aug. 4, the standoff had already forced the county to push the tax-rate vote from Aug. 27 to Sept. 10.

Around 15 people rallied outside the Fort Bend County courthouse in Richmond on Thursday in support of Wong before the meeting began.

The next scheduled opportunity for the court to adopt the tax rate is Sept. 10. If no rate is adopted by Sept. 30, the statutory deadline, the county automatically reverts to the no-new-revenue rate on Oct. 1.