By this time next week, Harris County leaders will likely have adopted a new budget.

It'll have a significant impact on your property taxes, as well as services like law enforcement patrols and public health.

During her absence, commissioners have been considering a proposed budget and tax rate for Fiscal Year 2024 that is above the so-called no-new revenue rate. It will increase property taxes and yield approximately $260 million more in revenue for county coffers.

Hidalgo was not present at a budget and tax rate hearing Tuesday, leaving just four commissioners to consider the proposals in preparation for a vote in the coming weeks. State law requires a quorum of four to approve a tax rate.

Without Hidalgo, if another commissioner does not attend a planned vote, as in the past two years when Republicans boycotted commissioners court meetings, the county would be forced to adopt the no-new-revenue rate.

This year, there's only one Republican on the court: Tom Ramsey.

"We're actually having a conversation on how the money is going to be spent," Ramsey said. "Last year, it was a 'take it or leave it' proposition."

He couldn't derail the process even if he wanted to, though, because Democrats now have a super majority on the court, meaning they don't need any Republican votes to pass what they want.

What’s precarious about Lina’s return, so happens to fall on the Beyoncé tour. Word on the street is, the concert may have something to do with Dora’s return. Especially since she’s bought favors with Beyoncé….

It is time to impeach Lina

Although a county judge may take a leave of absence, Texas code allows a resident of the county to file a petition to remove an elected county official from office for incompetence, official misconduct, or intoxication. Incompetency may include “unfitness or inability to promptly and properly discharge official duties because of a serious physical or mental defect that did not exist at the time of the officer’s election.”

Last May, Hidalgo erupted in anger at Commissioner Adrian Garcia (D-Pct. 2) over the inclusion of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office in the management of a violence interruption program. She referred specifically to District Attorney Kim Ogg, with whom Hidalgo has spared in the past over funding for law enforcement and additional prosecutors to combat the county’s extensive criminal case backlog.

“If my colleagues want to put this in the district attorney’s office and the sheriff’s office, let’s take a vote and let’s be on the record who wants it to go where so I can then explain to my community what else we’re doing, because some of us are wrapped around the little finger of the woman (Ogg) who I don’t know what the f— she’s threatened you with,” Hidalgo ranted

Last year, three Hidalgo staffers were indicted on felony charges in relation to a since-canceled $11 million COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract awarded to a one-woman firm owned by a highly connected Democratic political operative. A hearing to consider a defense motion to suppress evidence collected by the Texas Rangers was scheduled for this week but re-set for December 11, 2023.

The Houston Comical

🚨BREAKING: Dora to Make Her Return in Time…