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Washington County Adopts 2026 Budget; Property Tax Revenue to Rise $2.20 Million While Tax Rate Is Held Steady
Summary
The Washington County Commissioners Court adopted the county’s 2026 budget, which will increase property tax revenues by $2,201,805 (7.58%) compared with the prior year; commissioners recorded votes and separately ratified and levied the county’s property tax rate, which the court said was not increased.
At a Sept. 9 meeting, the Washington County Commissioners Court adopted the county’s 2026 budget and took related votes to ratify the property-tax revenue reflected in the budget and to adopt a tax rate the court said does not represent an increase in the underlying rate.
County officials recorded that the adopted 2026 budget will raise $2,201,805 more in property-tax revenue than the previous budget — a 7.58% increase — and that $568,933 of the total increase is attributable to new property added to the tax rolls. The County Judge opened a public hearing on the proposed budget and announced those figures to the court before the hearing. No members of the public spoke during the hearing.
After closing the public hearing, the court took a record vote to adopt the 2026 budget. The court then separately voted to ratify the property-tax increase reflected in the budget and to adopt an order levying the county tax rate. The court’s motion to levy the county property tax used a tax rate of 0.384 (expressed in the transcript as 0.384); the court noted the “no-new-revenue” rate calculated at 0.368477 and said the difference between those two rates is 4.2 percent. Court discussion clarified that the tax rate itself was not raised and that the increase in revenue arises from valuation changes and new property on the tax rolls. One commissioner described statutory reporting requirements as confusing to the public.
The court took individual roll-call statements during the adoption vote. Recorded responses included "Yes"/"Aye" from the commissioners present; the presiding official announced the vote as unanimous on the adoption and the levy motions.
County staff and commissioners discussed statutory limits on local tax increases. A commissioner noted that state law caps certain local taxing-entity increases at 3.5 percent for some purposes, and explained that budget revenue growth and the tax-rate reporting mechanics are distinct concepts.
Votes at a glance (formal actions recorded during the Sept. 9 meeting):
- Adopt 2026 Washington County budget: motion carried (record vote: Commissioner Corn: Yes; Mr. Bullock: Aye; Commissioner Anne: Aye; Commissioner Mayeski: Aye; presiding County Judge declared unanimous).
- Ratify the property-tax revenue reflected in the 2026 budget: motion carried by voice vote.
- Adopt order levying a Washington County property tax rate of 0.384 for tax year 2025 (reported as effectively a 4.2% difference versus the no-new-revenue rate): record vote carried; officials noted the tax rate itself was not raised and that the revenue increase is tied to valuation changes.
Additional formal actions at the same meeting (see Votes at a glance below for full list) included adoption of minutes, acceptance of a donation, acceptance of accounts payable, approval of a collateral assignment of reimbursement rights, and a Pecan Glen Road District tax order; these items were approved by the court as recorded.
The court’s action establishes the county’s fiscal plan for 2026 as approved on Sept. 9 and records the tax-rate decision for tax year 2025; specific line-item budget allocations were not debated in detail during the public hearing recorded in the transcript.
Speakers recorded addressing the budget item and related votes included the County Judge (presiding), Commissioner Korn/Corn (recorded roll-call), Mr. Bullock (recorded roll-call), Commissioner Anne (recorded roll-call), and Commissioner Mayeski (recorded roll-call).
