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Williamson County commissioners adopted the fiscal year 2026-27 budget and tax rate at the Commissioners Court meeting Sept. 1.
The $712.94 million budget is supported by a tax rate of $0.421547 per $100 valuation, the no-new-revenue tax rate.
Explained
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.
Under the newly adopted rate, which goes into effect Oct. 1, Williamson County property owners will likely see a decrease on their county tax line, officials said. The average homestead will pay about $28, or 1.49%, less per year than in the current fiscal year, according to a county news release.
Digging deeper
The county budget consists of the general fund, road and bridge fund, and debt service. Commissioners approved a general fund budget of $405.65 million, which will add 47.5 full-time positions, almost half in the public safety department.
The general fund also dedicates $7 million for the Long Range Transportation Plan and $16.9 million for capital improvements. Commissioners will allocate capital improvement project funds at the Sept. 15 Commissioners Court meeting, the release states.
Additionally, the budget will provide a 2% cost-of-living increase for general employees as well as the sworn officers pay charts, and a 3% merit increase for general employees. Law enforcement employees will receive step increases, amounting to $1.05 million in the general fund.
Elected officials' salaries received increases based on the county’s salary study. County Judge Steve Snell waived his salary increase, as did Precinct 1 Commissioner Terry Cook.
"We're also able to give our employees and law enforcement raises, and so I’m very happy with this budget and able to hold tight with the no new revenue ... and keep the tax bill and the burden on our public as low as possible as well," Snell said at the Sept. 1 meeting.
Commissioners approved $75 million for the road and bridge fund, which includes $12.74 million for capital improvements and $10 million for the Long Range Transportation Plan. Additionally, the budget will provide a 2% cost-of-living increase and a 3% merit increase for employees, as well as seven new full-time positions.
The debt service fund budget is $232.3 million and includes $10 million to pay down debt early. Snell said that roads are one of the core functions of the county and require issuing debt to improve infrastructure.
“We're going to double in population, and we already have some pinch points in traffic—so we're going to need to continue to increase the mobility of our citizens,” Snell said. “I'm big on lowering the debt too, ... but there's roads that would have been built without it because it's just the magnitude of it because the other alternative is to raise tax, and I don't think anybody here wants that.”
