Harris County's elected constables are in line for a substantial raise after a divided vote by the county's leaders, according to FOX 26. Commissioners court voted 4 to 1 to boost the pay of all eight elected constables to $305,000 a year for the 2027 fiscal year.
The increase represents a dramatic jump over a short span. As recently as 2024, the constables' salaries stood at $133,000, meaning their pay will have more than doubled in the space of two years, climbing from $133,000 to $305,000.
The lone vote against the raise came from County Judge Lina Hidalgo. She argued the new salary was hard to justify, noting that it is more than the vice president of the United States makes and more than a lot of other prominent positions, including astronauts.
Hidalgo tied her opposition to the county's finances. She said that while she recognized the raise was meant to match increases already given to other politically influential elected officials, the county knew it did not have the funds for what she described as enormous raises.
The vote also featured a shift from Commissioner Rodney Ellis. He initially abstained but later changed his vote to support the raises, after commissioners agreed to potentially provide comparable increases to other elected officials, including the district and county attorneys.
The higher salaries are not final just yet. The raises do not take effect until they are formally approved as part of the budget process in September, leaving a window before the new pay is locked in.