Chambers County adopts 2027 budget and sets property tax rate at 0.439746

Chambers County Commissioners Court adopted the county's 2027 budget (Jan. 1'Dec. 31, 2027) and approved a property tax rate of 0.439746 at its Sept. 22 meeting.

County staff told the court the proposed rate is slightly above the no-new-revenue rate (0.432008) but well below the voter-approval threshold (about 0.516130). The auditor and budget team described modest adjustments for the upcoming year, including funding for four crime-analyst positions within the sheriff's office, and said taxpayer-impact worksheets will be posted online after the adoption. "I think our tax rate staying the same as last year, I think it's commendable we're able to do that," one commissioner said during debate.

During the public hearing, speakers flagged rising costs tied to county growth and state mandates. One county official noted unfunded state mandates of roughly $16.5 million and said the county has absorbed more than $25 million in roadwork on behalf of TxDOT in the past years. County leaders said they will continue pursuing state-level relief and exploring administrative options to manage costs without cutting public safety.

The court approved the budget and adopted the tax rate by voice vote. The budget and the adopted tax-rate documents will be published to the county website and the clerk's office for public inspection.