Harris County commissioners are expected to discuss the budget and tax rate options for the upcoming fiscal year at an Aug. 17 special meeting, as the county faces a potential $178 million shortfall.

In a nutshell: The county’s Office of Management and Budget will present its proposed budgets and tax rates for the court to discuss and potentially take action on.

Diving in deeper: If commissioners decide to increase the tax rate more than 3.5%, according to the state comptroller website, voters will see the proposed rates on their November ballots. 

Before you go: Harris County Commissioners Court meetings are held at 9 a.m. in Downtown Houston. The administration building is located at 1001 Preston St., Houston. 

The Tooth Lodge officials said the dental clinic opened on July 6. Community Impact previously reported The Tooth Lodge had plans to open by June.

The details: Operated by Houston native Dr. Afreen Ansari, The Tooth Lodge offer modern dentistry services, per the website. Services offered include:

• Family dentistry for children and adults with services such as cleanings and exams as well as x-rays and oral cancer screenings
• Cosmetic dentistry designed to enhance the appearance of teeth while protecting function, comfort, and long-term oral health
• Restoration dentistry focuses on repairing and replacing teeth

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage this week? Check out these trending stories across the northern portion of the Greater Houston area from Aug. 7-14

1. Sam Houston State University announces new name for College of Osteopathic Medicine in Conroe

2. Bristol Myers Squibb selects Generation Park for new $2.3B manufacturing campus

3. Magnolia traffic detour began Aug. 10 ahead of the school year

4. Studio 3113 Modern Needlework opens store for crafters in The Woodlands

5. Facing $178M shortfall, Harris County approves raises, funding for independent ICE investigation

6. Tim Horton's to open along Barker Cypress Road in August

7. Houston Airport System unveils renovated IAH Executive Club

Ahead of the 2026-27 school year, public school leaders in Community Impact’s coverage areas shuttered at least nine individual schools to respond to repeated state accountability issues and stave off state intervention. A new Texas Education Agency rule may make it harder for districts to do so in the future.

The details: Beginning Aug. 16, if a district closes a D- or F-rated campus and transfers the largest share of students from the closed campus to a school with a C, D or F rating, the closed campus’ rating will be assigned to the new campus. 

Districts will only avoid transferring a shuttered school’s rating history if they relocate a plurality of students to an A- or B-rated campus.

Stay tuned: The TEA is scheduled to release A-F ratings for the 2025-26 school year on Aug. 14. If a school receives five failing ratings in a row, the TEA is required under state law to close that campus or replace the district’s board of trustees with a state-appointed board of managers.