For Williamson County residents, the county’s newly adopted budget will show up in several familiar places: emergency response, law enforcement, roads, county staffing and the property tax bill.

The Williamson County Commissioners Court has approved a $712,942,615 budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, placing a heavy emphasis on public safety and transportation while adopting the county’s no-new-revenue property tax rate for the 2026 tax year.

County officials say the plan is designed to keep up with the demands of a rapidly growing population without increasing the county tax burden on the average homestead.

“This budget prioritizes public safety and roads, two top priorities for our residents as delineated through the communitywide survey. It also lowers taxes for the average homestead property through the no-new-revenue tax rate, which is one of my priorities,” County Judge Steve Snell said. “In a fast-growing county like ours, it is a big win for our residents when we can continue to provide them with great services while also decreasing their tax burden.”

Public safety receives a large share of new Williamson County positions

The county’s FY27 General Fund budget totals $405,648,214 and includes 47.5 new full-time positions.

Nearly half of those added positions are tied to public safety and the justice system, including nine employees in the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, seven in Emergency Medical Services, five in the County Attorney’s Office, five in Juvenile Services, two for District Courts and one position supporting IT Public Safety.

For residents, those additions are meant to address a practical consequence of Williamson County’s continued growth: more calls for service, more emergency responses and greater demand across county courts and law enforcement agencies.

“Williamson County continues to grow. This year’s budget addresses the demand for increased services brought on by that growth while also lowering taxes for all WilCo taxpayers,” Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long said.

The budget also includes millions of dollars for equipment used by first responders and law enforcement officers.

Among those purchases are $4.71 million for radio replacements for law enforcement and corrections, $1.5 million for body-worn and in-car cameras and $385,000 for Taser replacements.

Supply chain delays are also carrying costs from the previous fiscal year into FY27. That includes $6.67 million for ambulances that were not received during the prior fiscal year, along with $639,000 for a chiller and $400,000 for body-worn cameras.

Roads and long-range transportation remain a major budget priority

Transportation spending is another major piece of the Williamson County budget, reflecting one of the most common concerns associated with population growth across communities from Georgetown and Round Rock to Leander, Cedar Park, Hutto, Taylor and surrounding areas.

The General Fund includes $7 million for the Long-Range Transportation Plan and $16.9 million for capital improvements.

Commissioners are expected to discuss which capital improvement projects will receive those dollars during their Sept. 15 meeting.

The county also adopted a $75 million Road and Bridge Fund budget, which includes another $10 million for the Long-Range Transportation Plan and $12.74 million for capital improvements.

Seven new full-time employees are included in the Road and Bridge budget.

“Our residents continue to stress the importance and need for transportation across Williamson County, and the budget funds the need for roads,” Precinct 4 Commissioner Russ Boles said. “The budget also provides for the needs of our employees while continuing to be good stewards of the taxpayers.”

Taken together, the transportation allocations are intended to help the county plan for additional roadway capacity, capital projects and infrastructure needs as residential and commercial development continues across Williamson County.

County employees receive raises and merit increases

The FY27 budget also includes compensation increases aimed at recruiting and retaining county employees.

Civilian employees and employees on the Law Enforcement and Corrections pay charts will receive a 2% cost-of-living increase. Civilian employees are also eligible for a 3% merit increase.

Law enforcement personnel will receive step increases on their pay charts at a cost of approximately $1.05 million.

The Road and Bridge Fund similarly includes a 2% cost-of-living increase and 3% merit increase for employees.

Salaries for elected officials were also increased based on the results of a county salary study.

Williamson County sets no-new-revenue tax rate

For many homeowners, the most closely watched number may be the county tax rate.

Commissioners adopted a total Williamson County property tax rate of $0.421547 per $100 of taxable valuation for tax year 2026. The county identifies that as the no-new-revenue tax rate.

According to the county, the rate is expected to reduce annual county property taxes on the average homestead by approximately 1.49%, or about $28 per year.

“This year’s challenge of funding so many needs was met simultaneously with the goal of lowering property taxes. I’m so proud of the work done by this Court.,” Precinct 1 Commissioner Terry Cook said.

A no-new-revenue tax rate does not necessarily mean every individual property owner will see the same tax change. Individual bills can still vary depending on taxable property values, exemptions and other factors. The county’s estimate applies to the average homestead residence.

Williamson County also plans to pay down debt early

The county’s FY27 Debt Service Fund budget totals $232,288,039.

Included in that figure is $10 million for debt defeasance, a financial strategy that allows the county to pay down debt early and reduce future interest costs.

“We continue to prioritize public safety and the many other needs we have as a fast-growing county, but we also continue to focus on debt defeasance which saves millions of tax dollars, all while reducing county property taxes on the average home,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey said.

For Williamson County taxpayers, that approach reflects a broader balancing act in the new budget: spending more in areas where population growth is increasing demand while attempting to limit the long-term cost of debt and county property taxes.

What happens next

The FY27 Williamson County budget will cover the period from October 2026 through September 2027.

One of the next key decisions will come Sept. 15, when commissioners are scheduled to discuss how to allocate the $16.9 million in General Fund capital improvement funding.

Those decisions could help determine which county facilities, infrastructure improvements or other capital needs move forward during the next fiscal year.

For residents watching how growth is changing Williamson County, the budget offers a fairly clear picture of where county leaders expect the pressure points to remain: public safety, emergency response, road capacity, staffing, equipment and long-term infrastructure.

Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for updates on Williamson County transportation projects, public safety investments, property taxes and upcoming Commissioners Court decisions.

By Tiffany Krenek, My Neighborhood News 

Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.

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