Georgetown, September 13, 2025

News Summary

The Georgetown City Council has adopted a $1.3 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2026. The budget outlines a reduction in the property tax rate alongside increases in utility rates. Property tax rates will be set at 35.3 cents per $100 valuation, while water, wastewater, electric, and solid waste rates will see significant hikes. The budget also includes funding for new city positions and infrastructure investments, although homeowners may face a net increase in property taxes due to rising property values.

Georgetown City Council Approves $1.3 Billion Budget for FY 2026

The Georgetown City Council has officially adopted a $1.3 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2026 during their meeting on September 9, 2025. This significant financial plan includes a reduction in the property tax rate, while simultaneously increasing utility rates across various sectors.

The new property tax rate is set at 35.3 cents per $100 valuation, down from the previous rate of 36.5 cents. This marks the lowest property tax rate in the entire Austin metro area for cities with populations exceeding 20,000. However, despite this decrease, average homeowners in Georgetown can expect an increase of approximately $14 in their property tax bills, largely due to climbing property values in the region.

Utility Rate Increases

Notably, the adopted budget includes significant increases in utility rates:

• Water rates: An increase of 9 percent.
• Wastewater rates: Up by 12 percent for every customer type.
• Residential water customers using approximately 10,000 gallons will see a monthly increase of about $6.90.
• For wastewater services, residents will experience an increase of $6.50 per month.
• Electric rates: A slight increase of 2 percent, translating to an additional $2.40 monthly for residential customers.
• Solid waste rates: An increase of 4.5 percent for residential customers, resulting in about $1 more each month.
• Commercial solid waste rates will see an even higher jump of 9.5 percent.

City Services and Infrastructure Investments

The budget reflects a commitment to public services and infrastructure, with provisions for the creation of 70 new positions within city services. This includes 21 positions dedicated to police and fire departments to enhance community safety. Employee retention is also prioritized, featuring an average 3 percent merit increase for workers and plans for further market evaluations of salaries.

The council’s planning also includes a reassessment of fees for non-residents using parks, recreation, and library services. Simultaneously, they aim to streamline operations by reducing funding for lesser-used services, such as the closure of an underutilized pool and decreasing the frequency of winter landscape maintenance.

Funding and Growth Considerations

The budget reflects marginal growth in sales and property tax revenues as well as substantial commitments to infrastructure development. Major investments earmarked in the budget include the preliminary design for new fire stations and various transportation improvements, which are critical for supporting the city’s ongoing expansion.

The detailed budget book is scheduled to be made available online later this year for residents and stakeholders eager to understand the city’s financial strategies further.

Conclusion

While the Council’s decisions present a reduced property tax rate, the simultaneous increase in utility rates poses new challenges for Georgetown residents. As the city continues to grow and expand its services, the consequences of these financial decisions will be felt across the community.

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Additional Resources

• CBS Austin: Georgetown adopts 1.3B budget
• Wikipedia: Georgetown, Texas
• FOX 7 Austin: Georgetown city budget lower property tax rate
• Google Search: Georgetown City Budget 2026
• Community Impact: Georgetown adopts 1.3B budget
• Google Scholar: Georgetown Texas Budget 2026
• Hoodline: Georgetown Texas adopts budget
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Georgetown City Council
• GovTech: Georgetown proposes tech spending
• Google News: Georgetown Texas City Budget 2026