Fort Bend County commissioners approved an $841.41 million budget for fiscal year 2026-27 on Thursday, Sept. 10. The spending plan is a nearly $100 million increase over the current year, adding 35 sheriff's office positions and cutting three associate judges.

The vote split 3-2. Interim County Judge Daniel Wong and Commissioners Vincent Morales and Andy Meyers voted in favor. Commissioners Grady Prestage and Dexter McCoy voted against the spending plan, citing concerns over changes to the judiciary's budget. The budget sets spending and tax rates for all Fort Bend County residents, including those in Missouri City and Stafford.

"I will not vote for a budget that is potentially unlawful and usurps the authority of somebody who the public elected," McCoy said at a press conference before the hearing, Community Impact Newspaper reported.

Prestage and McCoy had boycotted commissioners court meetings for roughly two months before returning for the Thursday, Sept. 10 vote. Both commissioners have protested Wong's continued service as interim county judge, CW39 reported. State Rep. Ron Reynolds, whose District 27 office is in Missouri City, spoke at the pre-hearing press conference alongside the two commissioners.

What the budget means for residents

Of the nearly $100 million increase, $52 million goes toward finishing bond projects. That money is expected to be reimbursed once bonds are issued, Director of Finance and Investments Pamela Gubbels said, according to Community Impact.

The budget funds at least 81 new positions countywide. The sheriff's office accounts for 35 of those, with 14 more in parks and recreation. Capital improvement projects total almost $40.55 million, including traffic signal safety upgrades, bridge replacements and vehicle purchases.

County employees hired before July 1, 2026, will receive a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment. No elected official received a raise, apart from judiciary members who received a state-funded increase in base salary, according to agenda documents.

The budget also shifts 11 of 44 positions from the county attorney's office to a new legal department commissioners approved in August. The county attorney's office receives $1 million less, while the new department gets $1.3 million.

Associate judge cuts draw pushback

The budget eliminates funding for three of the county's eight associate judge positions effective Jan. 1, 2027. Six Fort Bend County district judges rejected a compromise between Wong and District Judge Christian Becerra that would have preserved those positions for another year while courts met performance benchmarks, the Fort Bend Independent reported.

District Judge Monica Rawlins said the judiciary "is an independent branch and does not answer to Commissioner's Court," adding that all judges support keeping every associate judge, the Fort Bend Independent reported.

State Rep. Matt Morgan wrote to commissioners court that the reduction from eight to five associate judges was "an important part of the discussions" surrounding his support for legislation creating the 501st and 502nd District Courts in Fort Bend County.

Tax rate drops slightly

Commissioners approved a tax rate of $0.407 per $100 property valuation in a separate 4-0 vote, with McCoy abstaining. The rate is a 1.21% decrease from last year's $0.412.

For a median homestead with a taxable value of $290,480, the cut translates to roughly $15 less on the county's portion of the annual tax bill, Gubbels said. Some homeowners may still pay more overall because average taxable values rose.

Lowering the rate will cost the county more than $6 million from its general fund, Gubbels said.

The new budget takes effect Oct. 1 and runs through Sept. 30, 2027. The next commissioners court meeting date for budget-related matters has not been announced. Residents can follow agendas and meeting schedules on the Fort Bend County website.