Harris County has a population of approximately 3.6 million residents. Its head of government is the Judge, who is elected by the population of the county. He presides over a Commissioner's Court of four elected officials who are elected by different precincts. This is the governing board of county (Page 11).
             The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) in question is for the fiscal year ending February 28, 2005. The general fund has two sets of budget figures presented, an adopted budget of, through which most revenues and expenditures pass, $1.310 billion and an adjusted budget of $2.134 billion (100). This difference was funded through the issuance of debt (33).
             The major initiatives of the county funded by this debt include flood control districts, toll road improvements, precinct road improvements, and repairs and improvements to county buildings (15). The flood control project involves buying real estate in a pre-disaster mitigation program (34).
             Harris county seems to be financially healthy. The net assets of the county exceed the liabilities of the county by $9.54 billion, at a time when many northern cities are near bankruptcy. The total assets of the county are approximately $15 billion (39). The majority of this is capital investments, which net of related debt account for 89% of the assets of the county. The government makes it a practice to reserve enough funds to pay the following year's debt service. In addition, the general fund has extra money as well.
             At the end of the fiscal year, unreserved fund balance for the General fund was $204,852,123, or 20% of total general fund expenditures and 21% of general fund revenues. In addition, the General fund had a reserved fund balance of $112,291,065. (24)
             Like most county governments, the major source of revenue is property taxes. Harris county's thriving real estate market has a great deal to do with the government's financial success.
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