Dear Friends:
I want to make you aware of two important issues developing at Harris County Commissioners Court this Tuesday, June 29.
The County Judge submitted an agenda item today “requesting to create a County Administrator position and realign county department operations under a streamlined organizational and reporting structure.” View agenda item 454 letter and backup here.
To further explain, each Texas county has four commissioners and a county judge who serve on a commissioners court. Harris County is divided into four precincts, and the voters of each precinct elect a commissioner to serve a four-year term. The voters of Harris County also elect a county judge to a four-year term. With this new structure, services now provided by each precinct, and directly responsible to the voters, could become centralized and managed similar to the City of Houston.
The appointment of a County Administrator by three members of Commissioners Court could effectively remove the responsibility from your elected officials and strip residents of their ability to have local representation.
These recommendations stem from a study conducted by an out-of-state consultant, PFM Consulting Group, Inc. This consulting firm, run by an executive who advocates for defunding of law enforcement (Read more here), has been paid more than $5 million to study Harris County. The firm is critical of the ability of local elected officials and law enforcement to serve constituents. PFM also favors eliminating the county’s rollover program – an initiative that encourages fiscal responsibility.
I also have an item on the agenda (Item 442), requesting the court restore the rollover for law enforcement agencies that was taken away by Commissioners Court in a divided vote, in light of state legislative action banning defunding of police.
As I have said before in Commissioners Court, there are three B’s surrounding these issues: BUREAUCRACY, BASICS, and BALLOT BOX. BUREAUCRACY does not add to efficiency; it is best practices for Harris County to focus on the BASICS; and the BALLOT BOX holds us accountable to these responsibilities.
If you have an opinion on these matters, or other matters that may appear before the Court, I encourage you to make your voice heard. Call my office at 832-927-4444 or email [email protected]. Sign up here to make your voice heard in Commissioners Court.
If you wish to express your opinion on these issues, you may also contact your county elected officials:
Sincerely,
Commissioner R. Jack Cagle
