Harris County Emergency Services District No. 9 (ESD 9), which funds fire suppression and emergency medical services for the Cy‑Fair community, released a draft budget for fiscal year 2026‑27 that shows an $8.1 million projected shortfall. The draft was presented by Assistant Chief of Administration Mike Clements at a budget workshop on Sept. 10, ahead of the board’s planned adoption on Sept. 24.
Budget numbers and revenue assumptions
The district’s budget is based on a “no‑new‑revenue” property‑tax rate of $0.038548 per $100 of valuation. Under that rate, projected revenue totals $109.6 million, while anticipated expenditures rise to $117.8 million, creating the $8.1 million gap. For comparison, the board previously proposed a higher rate of $0.045 per $100 of valuation.
Key spending priorities
The draft outlines several initiatives that drive the higher spending:
- Opening, staffing, and equipping new Stations 15 and 17.
- Hiring 49 additional full‑time employees to support the new stations.
- Continuing officer training and development programs.
- Completing an enterprise‑resource‑planning (ERP) system implementation.
- Launching a department‑wide employee evaluation program.
- Developing a community‑driven five‑year strategic plan.
- Designing and beginning construction of Stations 14 and 16.
- Planning a new training facility.
Compensation options under review
Commissioner Jaime Martinez suggested trimming the proposed 4.2 % compensation increase to help close the gap without tapping cash reserves or raising the property‑tax rate. Clements explained that the compensation increase reflects a rolling five‑year Social Security cost‑of‑living adjustment average. The budget draft presents three raise scenarios and their projected savings:
- 3.2 % raise – saves $730,119.
- 2.2 % raise – saves $1.5 million.
- No raise – saves $3 million.
Alternative revenue ideas
Martinez also floated selling unused land and negotiating with special‑purpose and limited‑purpose annexations within the district to capture a portion of their sales‑tax revenue. Fire Chief Amy Ramon reminded the board that Emergency Services Districts are intended to be sustained by property‑tax revenue, while Commissioner Cameron Dickey noted that ESD 9’s tax rate remains low compared with other Texas districts and should rise modestly as the community grows. He estimated the proposed increase would cost the average homeowner less than the price of two coffees per month.
Community impact and next steps
Commissioner Naressa MacKinnon emphasized the need to protect a growing community, stating that a modest tax increase is justified if it ensures public safety. The budget document will be posted on the Cy‑Fair Fire Department website after the board’s final vote on Sept. 24. Clements plans to bring demographers to the next budgeting workshop to assess how population trends will affect future fiscal needs.
The board of commissioners will reconvene for another budget workshop on Sept. 17 at 5:30 p.m. to continue discussions on the shortfall and potential solutions.
Original reporting: Community Impact — Houston — read the source article.
