Cypress homeowners could see two separate property-tax increases in the coming year; one from Harris County and another from Cypress-Fairbanks ISD.

Neither increase is final.

Harris County commissioners are expected to settle the county’s budget and tax rates in September. Separately, CFISD voters will decide five propositions on Nov. 3, including an operating-tax increase and a $1.636 billion bond package.

Here is what is being proposed, what the money would fund, and how much the two measures could add to a homeowner’s bill.

Harris County’s Office of Management and Budget has proposed a roughly $3.1 billion General Fund plan for fiscal year 2027—about a 12% increase in spending from the current year. The plan assumes the county adopts the maximum property-tax rate it can set without holding a tax-rate election.

For the county government’s portion of the bill, that would raise the rate from $0.38036 to $0.41934 per $100 of taxable value—an increase of just under 3.9 cents.

The county’s budget book estimates that the average Harris County homestead, appraised at $402,489, would owe about $1,350 in county property taxes, compared with $1,202 last year. That is an increase of about $148, after applying the county’s 20% homestead exemption. The estimate does not include separate taxes charged by Harris County Flood Control, the Port of Houston or Harris Health.

The same budget document lists a combined maximum rate of $0.71720 per $100 for the county, Flood Control, Port of Houston and Harris Health, up from a combined $0.62353. Those figures represent the voter-approval-rate ceilings—not rates that have already been adopted.

County officials say healthcare and law-enforcement expenses are among the biggest pressures on the budget. The county is entering the second year of a law-enforcement pay plan intended to bring deputy and constable salaries closer to Houston Police Department pay. Employee healthcare claims, indigent defense, jail costs, state mandates and reduced federal funding are also contributing.

The proposal would preserve current priority services without layoffs. It also relies on spending reductions, higher fees, property sales, transfers and $16 million from a prior-year surplus.

Earlier county forecasts showed a $129 million shortfall even at the maximum rate. The Aug. 17 budget book says updated healthcare and jail estimates later raised the underlying gap to $181 million before the proposed offsets and additional revenue were applied.

Commissioners Court has not adopted a rate, and members could still choose a lower rate, make additional cuts or use more reserves.

CFISD’s Nov. 3 election is separate from the county budget process. Voters will consider each of the district’s five propositions independently.

Proposition A is a voter-approval tax rate election, commonly called a VATRE. It would increase CFISD’s Maintenance and Operations rate by $0.12 per $100 of taxable value.

The district says the measure would raise $83.4 million locally and unlock another $20.2 million in state-guaranteed funding, providing $103.6 million per year for teacher and staff compensation, campus safety, class sizes, instructional materials, fine arts, career and technical education, athletics and transportation.

CFISD says it has reduced operating expenses by $94 million over the past three fiscal years. If Proposition A fails, the district says it would consider further changes to staffing, class sizes, compensation and nonmandatory student programs.

The four bond propositions would fund long-term capital needs:

Texas law requires school-bond ballots to say, “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.” However, CFISD projects that approving Propositions B through E would not raise its debt-service rate. The district expects that rate to fall by 3 cents, from $0.40 to $0.37 per $100, because of its debt-management schedule.

If all five propositions pass, CFISD projects a net 9-cent rate increase: the 12-cent increase from Proposition A minus the expected 3-cent decrease in the debt-service rate. The district’s total rate would become $1.1569 per $100.

For a $350,000 homestead, CFISD estimates the net increase at $126 per year, or $10.50 per month, after its 20% local homestead exemption and the state’s $140,000 school homestead exemption.

The table below estimates the rate-only effect if Harris County adopts its proposed county rate and all five CFISD propositions pass.

These examples assume a standard homestead, an unchanged appraised value, Harris County’s 20% exemption, CFISD’s 20% local exemption and the $140,000 state school exemption. They include only the proposed change to the county government’s rate and CFISD’s projected net change. They do not include possible rate changes from Harris Health, Flood Control, the Port of Houston, a municipal utility district or other taxing entities.

Actual bills will vary based on a property’s taxable value, exemptions and appraisal changes. CFISD also says qualifying homeowners age 65 or older and homeowners with disabilities who have filed the appropriate exemption are protected by a school-tax ceiling, unless they make substantial additions to the home.

Harris County’s budget calendar calls for adoption in September. The Commissioners Court calendar currently lists a special meeting on Sept. 8 and a regular meeting on Sept. 17; the posted agendas will confirm when the budget and tax-rate items are scheduled. Residents may attend court meetings, sign up to speak in person or send written comments to commissioners.

For the CFISD election:

The key distinction is who makes the final decision. Harris County commissioners can adopt the proposed county rate without a public referendum. CFISD’s Proposition A cannot take effect unless district voters approve it.