Williamson County commissioners set the maximum tax rate for fiscal year 2026-27 at the no-new-revenue rate of $0.421547 per $100, saying that residents could see a decrease on their county tax line next year.
By capping the proposed rate at this level, no public hearing is required.
What it means
The no-new-revenue rate calculates the property tax rate that would generate the exact same amount of revenue as last year from existing properties. Williamson County’s current tax rate is $0.413776 per $100.
Because of adjustments in overall home values, residents could experience a reduction in their county property tax bills if the proposed rate is finalized. Last year, the average homestead value in Williamson County stood at $396,000.
“The bottom line is we do need to be fiscally responsible in any way we can save the taxpayer money and show that we’re good stewards of that money,” County Judge Steve Snell said at the Aug. 11 meeting.
Digging deeper
The proposed tax rate supports the county’s recommended general fund budget of $411.6 million, about a $10 million increase from the current budget.
Major general fund budget highlights include $7 million dedicated to the Long Range Transportation Plan and $16.9 million earmarked for capital improvement projects, according to county documents.
The specific capital improvement projects covered by the budget will be selected by officials Sept. 15.
The budget department recommended adding an additional 37.4 full-time employees and one part-time employee, amounting to about $6 million in the general fund. Most of the new employees will be added to the public safety department.
For the road and bridge budget, the department recommends a $74.94 million budget, a decrease from the current $78.5 million.
The road and bridge budget includes $10 million dedicated to the Long Range Transportation Plan and $12.74 million for ongoing capital projects. The budget department recommended adding seven new full-time employees for $700,000.
Lastly, the recommended budget for the county’s debt service comes out to $232.3 million.
What’s next
Commissioners and county officials will continue finalizing the budget through August, with final adoption votes scheduled for September.
