Georgetown adopts $1.38 billion FY2026 budget, levies 35.3¢ property tax rate; council approves package of utility and development measures

Georgetown City Council on Aug. 26 approved the city’s fiscal year 2026 budget and separately ratified a property tax revenue increase before adopting a property tax rate the council said will be 35.3 cents per $100 of assessed value.

The council voted 6–0, with District 7 absent, to adopt an ordinance approving the FY2026 budget, which staff presented as $1,380,000,000 in revenues and $1,360,000,000 in expenses and that allocates roughly 52% of spending to capital projects. Budget manager Myra Cantu told the council the capital program includes $513,000,000 (rounded) in the water program and that the package includes staffing additions and other department changes.

Cantu said the proposed tax levy is lower than the city’s voter-approval rate but will generate more property-tax revenue because of increased assessed values. Cantu described the separate “ratify property tax revenue increase” vote as required by state law: “This vote is required by state law,” she said, explaining the council must acknowledge the budget will raise more property tax revenue than the previous year. Council later adopted the tax rate in a separate record vote 6–0.

Why it matters: The budget sets the city’s spending and capital program for Oct. 1, 2025–Sept. 30, 2026, and the separate ratification and rate votes comply with state legal requirements for transparency about tax revenue increases. The council also took multiple ordinance votes tied to rates and fees that…