Texas constable says he will fight blue county’s 'defunding' of his office

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Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said Sunday he would be filing a new complaint with the governor and state comptroller’s office for defunding his office of nearly $989,000. 

Herman said he was recently informed by the Harris County Auditor’s office that his office had retained $988,804.18 of unspent law enforcement funds from his Short Fiscal Year 2022. 

A Harris County Constable cruiser.  (Mark Herman, Harris County Constable Precinct 4)

That money, Herman said, is being taken from the Precinct 4 Constables office and reallocated elsewhere. 

Herman said he is planning a press conference for later this week to discuss the newest complaint with the state and how what he characterized as "the defunding," will affect public safety in Precinct 4. 

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Herman referenced Senate Bill 23, a last passed by the Texas legislature on Jan. 1, 2022, which prohibits the defunding and reallocation of law enforcement funds. 

"Although my office is committed to working with Harris County to rectify this issue and ensure we have access to our full budget in the upcoming fiscal years, the fact still remains $988,804.18 was defunded from my (Short Fiscal Year) SFY 2022 budget due [to] these flawed practices," Herman said in a statement. 

Fox News has reached out to the governor’s office and the State Comptroller’s office for comment. 

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has denied defunding Herman’s office, saying that the latest proposed budget increases funding, KTRK-TV reported.

Houston County Judge Lina Hidalgo, center, flanked by Houston Police Chief Troy Finner, left, and U.S. Rep. Al Green, in a file photo. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

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Harris County commissioners have until Friday to decide on a budget and tax rate for the next fiscal year, according to the station. Harris County is the largest in Texas, and home to Houston, the nation's fourth-largest city.