What this is
Every year, the City of Houston decides how to spend billions of dollars on streets, parks, police, fire, libraries, and city services.
Why this matters
The City of Houston's annual budget is about $6.5 billion. That money pays for police, fire, streets, water, parks, libraries, and every other city service. The budget is the single most important policy document the city produces — it shows what Houston's leaders actually prioritize, regardless of what they say.
Where to find the budget
The full budget is published at houstontx.gov/budget. The key documents are:
Proposed Budget — released by the Mayor in mid-June
Adopted Budget — approved by Council before the fiscal year starts July 1
Budget in Brief — a shorter summary document (start here)
Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) — separate document covering infrastructure projects over 5 years
How the budget is organized
Houston's budget is split into funds:
General Fund — the main operating fund. Police, fire, parks, libraries, public works, courts. This is where most of the political debate happens. About $3 billion.
Enterprise Funds — self-supporting operations funded by user fees: water/wastewater (Combined Utility System), airports (Houston Airport System), and convention facilities.
Debt Service Fund — payments on city bonds.
Following the money in the General Fund
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Special Revenue Funds — grants, dedicated taxes (like hotel occupancy tax for arts/tourism), and restricted funds.
The General Fund is where your property taxes and sales tax revenue go. Here is roughly how it breaks down:
Houston Police Department: ~35% — the single largest line item
Houston Fire Department: ~20%
Public Works / Solid Waste: ~10%
Parks and Recreation: ~5%
Health Department: ~3%
Libraries: ~2%
Everything else: ~25% (courts, legal, IT, planning, admin, debt service, transfers)
How the budget process works
March-May: Department heads submit budget requests to the Mayor's office.
June: Mayor releases the proposed budget. Public hearings begin.
June-July: City Council reviews the budget in committee. Council can amend line items.
Late June: Council votes to adopt the budget. The fiscal year starts July 1.
How to participate in the budget process
Attend budget hearings: Held in June at City Hall. Open to the public with a public comment period.
Testify at committee: The Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee reviews the budget in detail. This is where the real line-item negotiations happen.
Contact your Council Member: Tell them what you want funded or defunded. Be specific: "I want $2 million for trail maintenance in District C" is actionable.
Watch for the Capital Improvement Plan: This is where bond money gets allocated to specific projects — streets, drainage, parks, buildings. If your neighborhood needs infrastructure, this is the document to watch.
Revenue — where the money comes from
Property taxes: The city's largest revenue source. The tax rate is set by Council each September.
Sales taxes: The city collects 1% of the 8.25% sales tax rate in Houston.
Franchise fees: Payments from utilities (CenterPoint, AT&T) for using city rights-of-way.
User fees: Water bills, building permits, court fines, park facility rentals.
Federal and state grants: For specific programs (HUD housing, highway projects, public health).
Key resources
City budget documents: houstontx.gov/budget
City Controller's office (audits and financial reports): houstontx.gov/controller
Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee schedule: houston.novusagenda.com
Why it matters
This is part of Our Voice — civic life, elections, and accountability.
How to dig in
- 1Start with the snapshot above to know what this is in a glance.
- 2Read through to understand how it connects to the bigger picture.
- 3Get the guide using the button above.
By the numbers
Led byThe Change Lab
Counted from the Community Exchange connection graph.