Cameron County discusses FY26 budget, proposes $1 bridge toll increase and weighs multiple staffing requests

Cameron County Commissioners Court on Aug. 5 reviewed preliminary fiscal year 2025–26 budget projections, discussed a proposed $1 increase to passenger-vehicle tolls at the county's international bridges, and heard multiple staffing and reclassification requests from county offices seeking to add or convert positions.

The court's budget staff presented revenue and expenditure estimates that incorporated a proposed 5% across-the-board pay increase for county employees and several department requests for new positions. Staff recommended increasing passenger-vehicle tolls at the international bridges from $4 to $5, which would generate about $2.6 million in gross revenue; roughly $1.8 million of that would be the county's certified share, staff said. The court directed staff to draft an item for the next meeting to set toll rates, historically effective Sept. 1 when rates are changed.

The county's current tax rate was reported at 0.426893. Staff noted that recently proposed state legislation (referred to in the meeting as Senate Bill 9, introduced by Senator Bettencourt) would change how the "no-new-revenue" tax rate is calculated for many counties, but that the county's current calculations show the change would not affect Cameron County this year. Staff also noted the county's voter-approval rate calculation appears high (about $1.38 in the presentation), a number that reflects historical choices about not adopting higher rates and effectively "banking" increment capacity over multiple years.

Several department heads and elected-office representatives asked the court to approve additional staffing for next year: - The tax office requested four Clerk III positions for the Brownsville call center and one deputy constable for the Southmost branch office to replace contracted security, citing daily call volumes and public service demands. The tax office presenter said on one nonpeak day the Brownsville call center logged 1,241 incoming calls but answered 298 and returned 206 calls, pointing to low answer rates as evidence the call center is understaffed. - The constable's offices requested deputies and administrative support. Dagoberto Peralas, identified as chief deputy for a precinct constable's office, said his office handled roughly 13,855 papers for the Attorney General's office over five years and showed revenue figures the presenter said totaled about $913,711 (at 66% billing) for that period. - The county's elections office (speaker identified as Remy) asked for three full-time positions to replace recurring "extra help" hours used during election cycles and for a computer technician. Remy said converting seasonal/extra-help roles into permanent positions would remove staffing disruptions that occur when seasonal workers must be released between cycles; he said the three positions would cost roughly $90,000 in salaries combined, but full-time rates would be higher. - A constable chief deputy (Chief Perez) requested an administrative secretary to relieve deputies handling heavy civil-paper workloads.

Commissioners and staff discussed constraints. The court majority has prioritized countywide pay increases in recent budgets: staff told the court a 5% across-the-board increase approved previously represents a multiyear investment that added tens of millions to the general-fund payroll (a figure presented at the meeting for the general fund impact of recent pay adjustments was "just over $44,000,000"). Staff said general-fund fund balance had grown in recent years and cited a prior September figure of just over $52 million, while noting the county must balance competing priorities.

The court did not vote to fund the new positions on Aug. 5. Commissioners moved to "acknowledge" the presentation and asked staff and the requesting offices to return with more detailed offset options and prioritization. Court members repeatedly said salary increases and retention for law enforcement and jail staff remain a high priority and signaled any new position requests will be weighed against that context.

Votes at a glance - Motion to table consent item 2Q (MOU allowing U.S. Border Patrol to use county-operated Operation Stone Garden vehicles) — Motion to table by Commissioner Lopez; second by Commissioner Gotzall; outcome: carried. - Motion to approve remaining consent agenda items — Moved by Commissioner Godson; second by Commissioner Lopez; outcome: carried. - Motion to approve budget amendment, line-item transfers and salary schedule for jail commissary (item 4a) — Moved by Commissioner Lopez; second by Commissioner Benavides; outcome: carried. - Motion to acknowledge presentations on staffing and the budget discussion — Moved by Commissioner Benavides; second by Commissioner Gotzall; outcome: carried.

Why it matters: The decisions the court makes in August on rates, staffing and budget transfers will shape service levels and public-safety staffing for the coming fiscal year. The proposed toll increase is a direct revenue option that would affect cross-border motorists and fund county operations; new positions would alter recurring personnel costs if funded.

Speakers quoted in this article are identified in the meeting record as County staff and elected officials and are attributed by the names or labels used on the record.