Georgetown City Council is expected to vote Tuesday on adoption of the city's fiscal year 2017-18 budget, which includes funding for a slew of new full-time and part-time city staff positions, transportation and roadway improvements, and city parks upgrades.

Council members voted unanimously Aug. 22 to adopt the budget on its initial reading.

A second vote is necessary before the budget is finalized prior to the Oct. 1 start of FY 2017-18.

City Manager David Morgan said during a budget workshop in July that the FY 2017-18 budget is broad in scope, with funding included for projects such as the new Downtown West municipal office development, operation of the future Garey Park, and continued construction of the Southwest Bypass that will eventually link Hwy. 29 and I-35.

“As you take a step back and look at this budget and look at all the things that are happening over this year and what we’re preparing for, I think it’s fair to say that we’re making history in a historic town,” Morgan said during the workshop.

City staffers proposed a property tax rate of $0.42 per $100 of property valuation, which is a decrease from the current fiscal year rate of $0.424 per $100 of valuation.

However, with Georgetown’s average home value estimated to increase from $253,320 this year to $266,598 in 2018, city staffers anticipate the average property tax bill will increase by about $47 in the coming year. Utility rates for water and electric service will not change.

Additional information is available on the city's website: https://finance.georgetown.org/.