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Government

Quick Facts
2004 Population
26,788
2006 Job Tax Credit Tier
4
2005 Tax Millage Rate
24.71
Legal Organ
Harris County Journal
Form of Government
Manager
Service Delivery Region
Region 8
Congressional and Legislative Districts





  • Harris County collected $12.3 million in total revenues in 2000. In 2004, the county received $14.5 million, an increase of 18.0%. Total revenue in 2004 equaled $557 per capita. The statewide revenue per capita for this same year was $736.
  • From 2000 to 2004, own source revenues for Harris County rose from $10.1 million to $12.6 million, an increase of 24.6%. Own source revenues include revenues from property taxes, sales taxes, and excise and special use taxes. Per capita own source revenues amounted to $486 in 2004. This compares to a statewide per capita amount of $631.
  • The county collected an average of $208 per capita in property taxes during the past five years. This amount was greater than the average of $198 per capita collected by counties with similarly-sized populations. For the same period, the average per capita amount of county property tax collected in Georgia was $288. On average, property taxes accounted for 46.0% of the county's own source revenue during the period of 2000 to 2004.
  • General operating expenditures for Harris County in 2000 equaled $7.0 million, or $295 per capita. By 2004, general operating expenditures increased by 49.2% to $10.4 million, or $441 per capita. General operating expenditures per capita for counties with similarly-sized populations was $489 in 2004. The statewide average was $626 per capita during the same period.
  • Historically, the top three expenditure categories for counties are public safety, administration, and health and human services. In 2004, Harris County spent $3.6 million or 29.0% of total county spending on public safety which includes law enforcement, fire services and jails. Expenditures for administration totaled $1.5 million, amounting to 11.8% of total expenditures. The county expended $1.4 million or 10.9% of total expenditures on health and human services.
  • From 2000 to 2004, Harris County had an average of $9.5 million in long-term debt outstanding, resulting in an average per capita debt of $378. This amount was greater than the $191 per capita average of counties with similarly-sized populations.
      

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