# Houston budget shortfall deepens with flat tax pledge

> Houston's budget gap widens to $88 million as mayor insists on keeping property taxes flat despite revenue drops.
- Title: Houston budget shortfall deepens with flat tax pledge
- Summary: Houston's budget gap widens to $88 million as mayor insists on keeping property taxes flat despite revenue drops. Houston's budget shortfall has grown to $88…
- Keywords: houston, mayor john whitmire, property tax, budget shortfall, houston city council, harris county appraisal district, houston public works, sales tax, news, local, budget, shortfall
- Source: Houstonchronicle — https://houstonchronicle.com/politics/houston/article/houston-budget-deficit-property-value-protests-22476099.php
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: houston, mayor john whitmire, property tax, budget shortfall, houston city council, harris county appraisal district, houston public works, sales tax, news, local
## Budget shortfall grows
Houston's budget shortfall has grown to $88 million as city finance officials report the gap from the current budget year.
## Tax rate remains flat
Mayor John Whitmire has pledged to keep the city property tax rate at 51.919 cents per $100 in appraised value for the third year.
## Revenue decline explained
The $63 million drop in revenue comes from historically high property value reductions due to protest processes since the city adopted the budget in June.
## Reserves cover shortfall
The $88 million shortfall will be covered by dipping into city reserves and offset by higher-than-expected sales tax revenue.
## Council member's warning
Council Member Sallie Alcorn said the city is doing more with more, not less, as improved trash services strain the utility system.

> We are doing more with more, we have true needs that ultimately at some point we can’t keep saying i have to look under every rock.
## Key takeaway

Houston's budget shortfall has grown to $88 million after the city adopted a flat property tax rate, with officials saying the city will cover the gap using reserves and higher sales tax revenue.