LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session
  
                             February 2, 2001
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Tom Ramsay, Chair, House Committee on County
               Affairs
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HJR24  by Noriega (Proposing a constitutional amendment
               to increase the number of county commissioners in Harris
               County.), As Introduced
  
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*  A one-time cost to the state of $80,000 for publication of the        *
*  resolution is anticipated in fiscal year 2002.                        *
*                                                                        *
*  A revenue gain to the state is anticipated in fiscal year 2002 of     *
*  $12,000 and of $3,000 in fiscal year 2004 as a result of an           *
*  increased number of candidates paying filing fees.                    *
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The joint resolution would propose a constitutional amendment to increase
the number of county commissioners in Harris County from four to six.
The proposition would be submitted to the voters at an election to be
held November 6, 2001.

If approved by the voters, the boundaries of the initial six precincts
would take effect on January 1, 2003 and the two additional offices would
be filled at the general election in November 2002, with one term
expiring January 1, 2005 and the other expiring January 1, 2007.
 
Currently, every county in the state is divided into four commissioner
precincts.  The resolution to increase the number of county commissioner
precincts from four to six would impact only Harris County.
  
Local Government Impact
  
The Harris County  Auditor's office reported that an additional cost of
$315,033 would be allocated to accommodate two additional county
commissioners (current  salary of $123,060 per commissioner plus
$34,456.80 for benefits). The Harris County Office of Budget Management
reported approximately $18 million annually would be required to fund
the incremental operating cost for the two new commissioners.
Additionally, the county would incur approximately $2 million as a
one-time expense for acquisition of capital assets for the two new
commissioners.  Similar fiscal implications would continue for the
county as long as the provisions of the bill remain in effect.
  
  
Source Agencies:   304   Comptroller of Public Accounts, 307   Secretary
                   of State
LBB Staff:         JK, DB