Lucio Vasquez / Houston Public Media

Ahead of an expected vote Thursday on potential departmental service cuts in an effort to reduce costs, Harris County elected officials from the same political party gave dueling outlooks on the county’s mounting budget deficit.

The deficit for the county’s 2025-26 fiscal year was projected to be $270 million earlier this year after commissioners voted to increase deputy wages, nearly doubling the budget shortfall. Commissioners on Thursday took up discussions on potential cost-saving measures.

Before the commissioners court meeting started, commissioners Adrian Garcia of Precinct 2 and Lesley Briones of Precinct 4 held a joint news conference that clashed with a press event held by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, a fellow Democrat. Each discusse

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