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Hidalgo County commissioners adopt 2026 budget corrections and set 2025 tax rate at 0.575 per $100
Summary
The Hidalgo County Commissioners Court adopted corrections and the annual budget for 2026, set a 2025 total ad valorem tax rate of $0.575 per $100 valuation (0.518 M&O; 0.057 debt), approved salary orders and multiple grants and contracts, and directed staff on follow-up public access to the full departmental budget.
The Hidalgo County Commissioners Court adopted corrections and the annual budget for fiscal year 2026 and set the county’s 2025 ad valorem tax rate at 0.575 per $100 valuation (51.8¢ maintenance and operations; 5.7¢ debt service) during its Aug. 28 meeting.
Commissioners held a public hearing on the budget and tax rate; members of the public urged lower taxes and questioned high debt-service levels during the open forum. Public speakers also raised concerns about salary increases for elected officials and the availability of detailed budget documents. County staff confirmed the full departmental budget is available to the public and said they would provide access following the meeting.
During roll calls, motions to adopt the maintenance-and-operations tax rate (0.518) and the debt-service tax rate (0.057) passed by recorded votes of five in favor; the combined rate (0.575) was recorded as a 5-0 adoption on the record. The county noted the action represents an effective 6.05% increase in the tax rate from the prior year, as stated in the meeting record.
The court approved multiple administrative and grant actions listed on the consent agenda, including: authorization to accept and appropriate a DEA task force grant for $19,372 for the District Attorney's Office; authorization to submit economically disadvantaged county program applications for the Mile 6 Road sidewalk project and the Mile 10 North Heights bike project; acceptance of a $2,000 Community Services Block Grant discretionary award to the Hidalgo County Community Service Agency; and approval of a statewide automated victim notification service contract for fiscal year 2026 with an appropriation of $45,870.08. The court also approved a 2025 appropriation for elections-related contract services totaling $30,445.40.
Personnel and salary actions approved by the court included acceptance of orders setting the salary of the county auditor and assistant auditors, and an order setting salaries of court reporters for 2026. Human Resources reported intern appointments and other personnel items were approved where listed.
Following a closed session, the court took action on items discussed in closed session, including approving an extenuating-circumstance exemption for longevity pay for an employee and authorizing engagement of the law firm of Carlos Escobar to provide legal representation in pending litigation (TWCCRD matter referencing Gonzales). The court also approved a settlement payment in the claim of Pedro Ramirez in the amount of $269.99.
The court voted on and carried these motions by recorded voice and roll calls as shown in the public minutes. Several consent-agenda items recorded individual commissioner abstentions as noted on the record (for example, Commissioner David Fuentes abstained from some consent-agenda items listed at the start of the meeting).
