Harris County District Clerk Marilyn Burgess is accusing the Democrat-led Harris County Commissioners Court of exerting undue control over independently elected offices.
In a statement released earlier this week, Burgess wrote that actions taken by commissioners have made it more difficult for her office to operate and have weakened the district clerk’s independence.
“As many of you know, I have serious concerns about the direction of the current Commissioners’ Court,” Burgess said. “Rather than focusing on their core responsibilities they have pursued pet projects and expanded efforts to consolidate power.”
Burgess said routine tasks that were once handled internally now face prolonged delays. She cited purchasing approvals and technology decisions as examples, noting even basic processes have become unreasonably burdensome.
“The Court seeks to dictate what types of IT equipment independent offices use and, when we don’t comply, they punish departments through budget appropriations,” Burgess said.
She also criticized a recent vote by commissioners court to relocate district clerk leadership and support staff out of the courthouse complex. Burgess said the move separates management from day-to-day court operations and disrupts the functioning of the courts.
Although countywide elected officials operate independently under state law, the commissioners court controls budgets, staffing levels, and salaries. Burgess said that authority has increasingly been used to influence how other offices function, even when those offices do not formally answer to the court.
According to Burgess, county officials warned her that refusal to adopt new procedures requested by commissioners would result in budget consequences for her office, despite those procedures being described as voluntary.
The dispute has now entered the Democrat primary after Burgess reversed a previous decision not to endorse a candidate. Burgess, who announced last year that she will not seek re-election, has now endorsed Angie Dozier, a longtime employee of the district clerk’s office.
Burgess said her decision was driven by concerns that candidates aligned with the commissioners court could undermine the office’s independence. She said the district clerk’s office exists as a separate constitutional office to preserve accurate court records and public trust.
The conflict follows controversy surrounding last year’s salary grievance process, when Burgess sought a pay adjustment while serving on a county grievance committee. Burgess has said the grievance was intended to highlight funding disparities between countywide offices and other departments.
During budget discussions last fall, County Judge Lina Hidalgo publicly criticized fellow Democrat commissioners for approving raises for elected constables while cutting other county budgets. Hidalgo suggested at the time that the votes were tied to political considerations.
Campaign finance records show commissioners have donated to candidates running for offices that are formally independent of the court, including the district clerk race.
Burgess said her concerns are focused on the future of the district clerk’s office, not her own tenure. She said decisions being made now could affect court operations after new leadership takes office.
