Harris County leader wants voters to extend child care efforts as pandemic funding runs out

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Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo wants voters to approve a tax increase to extend the county’s efforts to improve the region’s child care landscape, work that began following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Families in the nation’s third-largest county have benefited from this program that increased the number of child care programs and trained professionals, Hidalgo said, which has been funded by pandemic stimulus money — until now. That money is expected to run out next year, prompting Hidalgo's effort to find a new revenue stream.

But first, Hidalgo must convince her fellow commissioners to put the question on the ballot. A preliminary vote is scheduled later this week.

“Forget whether you support it or not, just let the people decide whether or not they want to see this investment,” Hidalgo said in an interview with The Texas Tribune.

Child care is one of the nation’s most intractable problems. Demand is high, even as many families struggle to cover the cost. Worker pay is low, and so is the profit margin. And there is a wide spectrum of quality care.

Earlier this year, Texas lawmakers added $100 million to a scholarship fund meant to help families pay for care. They stopped short of taking on other issues, such as training and improving access for children living with disabilities.

The debate over whether to ask Harris County voters to cover the cost of the program comes as the county faces financial hardship. The county is considering cuts to libraries, animal control and public health. And Hidalgo, who has been Harris County’s top executive since 2019, weighs whether to run for a third term. She declined to say whether she would seek reelection.

Now is not the time to consider adding another county program, opponents to the idea say.

“We need to use common sense and focus funding on our statutory responsibilities, not extracurricular programs we can’t afford,” said Commissioner Tom Ramsey, who represents northern Harris County, including the cities of Cypress, Baytown and Tomball.

Harris County allocated $150 million in federal COVID stimulus money to help families pay for child care, create new facilities and improve quality at existing programs. At least 800 slots opened at child care centers, according to the Greater Houston Community Foundation.

The county also helped home-based child care programs register and be licensed with the state, and trained child care staff to promote kindergarten readiness. And the county also invested in summer educational programs for kids, and specialized training for workers who care for children with disabilities.

Hidalgo said they knew funding would eventually run out. The goal was always to see if the county could make a difference, she said.

Many of these efforts mirrored what other major cities and counties in Texas have done. San Antonio set the bar ten years ago, said Kim Kofron, the senior director of early childhood education for Children At Risk. Travis County in 2024 approved a tax increase to expand child care and after-school and summer programs.

“I really do hope that this is something that becomes on more and more radars of cities, both large and small,” Kofron said. “Yes, our big Metroplex areas are contemplating it, but what's happening in our smaller communities across Texas, and how do they play in? That the answer may be different, but I still think there needs to be a conversation.”

Harris County wants to prioritize three initiatives it believes have the most benefits for families. The county wants to increase the number of child care slots, improve the quality at existing programs and provide more after-school and summer education programs.

“As we're facing a budget deficit, we can't absorb that into our standard budget,” Hidalgo said. “The only option is to go to the voters.”

The original program cost $30 million a year. She hopes to double the sizes of the three programs with the new tax.

With voter approval, Hidalgo would add one penny to the property tax rate that would go directly to pay for this program. For a home worth $100,000 the cost would equate to $10 per year. The average value of a property in Harris County is $286,622, according to Zillow. So the cost would average around $28 per year per property.

Hidalgo’s colleagues have called out the county judge for her handling of the proposal, saying she didn’t discuss it with anyone else on the commissioners court before she announced it.

Ramsey took to social media and multiple media outlets to decry his distaste for the proposal.

“This is something I have opposed and warned everyone about over the last four years,” Ramsey told The Texas Tribune in an email. “Funds should have been used for one-time or short-term expenses, not starting programs, like child care, that we would not be able to sustain.”

The county is facing a more than $270 million projected budget shortfall in fiscal year 2026, according to Houston Public Media.

Hidalgo acknowledged the county’s current financial situation and there are tough choices ahead for commissioners as they work through the budget. But she also wants to learn from a mistake she said the commissioners made last year by not taking a proposal to increase the tax rate to pay for law enforcement to voters.

Regardless of personal opinion, the commissioners should allow the voters to decide, Hidalgo said.

“Give the people the choice before you cut programs for children,” she said.

Disclosure: Houston Public Media has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

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