The big picture
The new budget and tax rates will begin Oct. 1, according to a news release. The budget will go through Sept. 20, 2025 according to ClearGov, a government budgeting software the city uses.
The property tax rate is lower than the FY 2023-24 rate of $0.374 per $100 valuation, but due to Georgetown’s growing property values, the average property tax bill will increase by $32 for the year, according to the release.
The FY 2024-25 budget is about $11.39 million more than the originally adopted FY 2023-24 budget, according to ClearGov.
The new tax rate will raise $4.26 million more in revenue compared to last year’s budget, a 7.1% increase.
What to expect
According to the release, additional proposed rate increases and fees Georgetown residents and utility customers can anticipate in the coming months include:
- Water and wastewater rates: a monthly increase of $13.25 for residential customers using 10,000 gallons per month, following a 11.75% water and 11.25% wastewater rate increase
- Solid waste rates: a 4.5% increase for residential customers and a 9.5% for commercial customers
- Streetlight replacement fee: a $2.40 monthly fee to maintain city streetlights
- Energy efficiency and conservation fee: an increase from $0.20 to $1 per month for Georgetown Electric Utility customers for energy conservation programs
- Per meter per month fee: a fee associated with the energy efficiency and conservation fee based on rate class for commercial customers
The budget addresses growth and inflation while maintaining public safety, water and customer services, according to the release.
There will be 37 new positions, 21 of them being in water services. The budget also emphasizes employee retention and recruitment with an average merit pay increase of 4%.
A 311-like call center, a number for nonemergencies in the city, will be implemented to help centralize and streamline service calls while improving response times.
Transportation improvements on Williams Drive, Shell Road, DB Wood Road, SE and NE Inner Loop, Stadium Drive and Rockride Lane are accounted for in the budget.
Water plant operations staffing and capital improvement projects will upsize waterlines, rehabilitate the Dove Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant and expand the III Forks wastewater plant.
Quote of note
“In the next fiscal year, residents are going to see a continued investment in the future of Georgetown, including in our transportation and utility infrastructure, as well as customer service and public safety,” Mayor Josh Schroeder said in the release. “This year’s adopted budget addresses the challenges we’ve seen from our rapid growth while maintaining the services our residents expect.”
