RICHMOND, TX – Fort Bend County employees could lose their proposed cost-of-living pay increase, major county infrastructure projects could be paused, and the county could face years of financial setbacks if the continued boycott of Commissioners Court meetings by Commissioners Grady Prestage and Dexter McCoy prevents the county from completing the tax rate adoption process required by Texas law.
During Tuesday’s public budget hearing, Budget Director Pamela Gubbels explained that while Texas law allows Commissioners Court to conduct most county business with a three-member quorum, state law requires a four-member quorum to adopt the County’s annual tax rate. If that quorum cannot be achieved, Texas law automatically establishes the County’s tax rate using the lower of the current year’s tax rate or the proposed year’s No-New-Revenue Tax Rate.
Gubbels advised Commissioners Court that, under those circumstances, the proposed cost-of-living adjustment for county employees would have to be removed from the Fiscal Year 2027 budget.
County Auditor Ed Sturdivant echoed those concerns, warning that failure to resolve the quorum issue would force the County to halt preparation for future bond sales, pause mobility and parks projects once current bond funds are exhausted, and delay additional debt issuance until at least the Fiscal Year 2028 budget. Sturdivant further warned that operating under the default tax rate could require years of financial recovery before the County could restore planned capital investment while continuing to meet the growing demands for county services.
“Our employees should never become casualties of a political boycott,” said Fort Bend County Judge Daniel Wong. “Today’s budget hearing made the consequences unmistakably clear. Our Budget Director confirmed that continued failure to achieve the required quorum for the tax rate would force the proposed cost-of-living adjustment for our employees to be removed from the budget.”
Judge Wong noted that Commissioners Andy Meyers and Vincent Morales joined him at the budget hearing to continue the work of county government.
“Our financial professionals made it clear that continued inaction threatens employee pay raises, critical infrastructure projects, and the County’s long-term financial stability,” Wong said. “Commissioners Meyers, Morales, and I remain committed to completing the budget process, and I continue to call on Commissioners Prestage and McCoy to end their boycott and join us in completing this important work.”
The proposed cost-of-living adjustment would benefit thousands of Fort Bend County employees, including deputies, emergency dispatchers, road and bridge crews, public health professionals, librarians, parks employees, administrative staff, and many others who serve residents every day.
“Texas law protects the public by ensuring county government cannot be held hostage indefinitely,” Wong said. “But no law can fully protect county employees or county projects from the consequences when elected officials refuse to do their jobs. The surest way to protect these pay raises and keep critical projects moving is simple: establish the required quorum and complete the budget process.”
“This is no longer speculation or political debate,” said Bobby Eberle, Communications Director for Fort Bend County Judge Daniel Wong. “Today, Fort Bend County’s Budget Director and County Auditor independently reached the same conclusion: if Commissioners Prestage and McCoy continue their boycott, county employees will lose their proposed cost-of-living adjustment, major county projects will be paused, and the County’s financial recovery could take years.”
“County employees don’t have the option of boycotting work when they disagree with something,” Eberle added. “They report to work every day because the people of Fort Bend County depend on them. The taxpayers deserve that same commitment from every elected official. If county employees lose their pay raises and critical projects are delayed because two commissioners refuse to take their seats for one of the most important votes of the year, the public will know exactly why.”
Fort Bend County will continue moving the budget process forward as permitted by law and remains committed to protecting taxpayers, supporting county employees, maintaining essential public services, and keeping critical infrastructure projects moving forward.
