Following the Texas Senate’s passage of Senate Bill 2722, which would redirect a portion of Harris County’s toll road surplus funds to the City of Houston, county leaders are taking steps to reach a local solution before the legislation becomes law.

The bill, authored by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), passed the Senate in a 21-10 vote. It would require 30%—or roughly $80 million—of Harris County Toll Road Authority’s (HCTRA) surplus funds to go to Houston to reimburse emergency services. The remaining 70% would remain with the county, to be distributed among its four precincts based on the percentage of county roads within each.

But Harris County leaders are working to resolve the issue locally. On Thursday, Commissioners instructed the Harris County Attorney and the Department of Intergovernmental and Global Affairs to begin negotiations with the City of Houston and its legal counsel on a compensation agreement for first responders operating on the HCTRA system.

“The county is ready to work in any form or fashion with the city going forward,” said Commissioner Tom Ramsey from the dais. “The message today is we want to work with the city.”

“We’re deeply invested in infrastructure and public safety, and we’re deeply committed to working out a local solution to a local issue,” said Commissioner Lesley Briones. “So, we thank in advance the county Attorney’s office for their ongoing partnership.”

Commissioners emphasized the need for a local, data-driven approach. The Court is scheduled to meet again on May 22, when members could formalize a proposed interlocal agreement.

Local Collaboration Over State Intervention

Tension between the City of Houston and Harris County has grown in recent weeks over the legislation. In a letter sent to Mayor John Whitmire, Commissioners Lesley Briones and Adrian Garcia said the county had not been informed or consulted before the bill was introduced.

“It was only when the city introduced SB 2722 — and its companion HB 5177 — that we were first made aware of the desire to seek substantial compensation for tollway responses,” the commissioners wrote. “As you know, Harris County was not consulted before this bill was filed, nor did we receive any inquiries or requests. As we have done many times in the past, we are always open to collaboration with Houston and the other 33 cities within Harris County that ultimately benefit our shared constituents.”

During a recent City Council meeting, Mayor Whitmire expressed gratitude for the bill’s advancement and encouraged open discussion.

“First of all, I will meet with anyone anywhere if they’re wanting to work to improve Houston. I’ve met with all the commissioners in recent days. … This idea was brought to me by Houston legislators [who asked], ‘Would we document what [emergency services] we provide?’”

The Numbers Behind the Dispute

HCTRA, which operates 132 miles of toll road in Harris County, currently funds public safety operations on its system. According to the agency, between 2022 and 2024, Harris County resources responded to more than 300,000 incidents, while the Houston Fire and Police Departments responded to fewer than 3,000, or just 1% of total incidents.

To maintain this service level, HCTRA’s FY 2025 budget includes $42.7 million for toll road public safety, with $25 million allocated to agreements with all eight county constables.

At a Texas Senate Transportation Committee hearing earlier this month, Commissioner Tom Ramsey argued in support of the bill, saying the current funding distribution shortchanges areas like his.

“My precinct has 47% of the county roads in Harris County, yet I get less than 25% of the [surplus] funding,” Ramsey said. “So, the bill that I’m supporting here deals with that, that they would disperse the fund based on the county road responsibility.”

But Commissioner Adrian Garcia, speaking through representative Kristen Lee, opposed the bill’s rigid funding formula.

“This bill would significantly undermine our ability to manage and fund the critical infrastructure we rely on every day, especially in regions like mine where roadways carry a disproportionate burden for the freight industry,” Lee read from Garcia’s statement. “In Precinct 2, we see that impact firsthand. We have more maintenance demands than any other area in Harris County.”

As legislative interest in SB 2722 continues, Harris County officials say they’ve been working with lawmakers to explore a collaborative alternative. Local leaders are hopeful the issue can be resolved through a mutually beneficial agreement, avoiding what they see as a state overreach into local matters.

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