City staff aim to maintain essential services while scaling back on offerings with limited impact or use, according to Morgan’s presentation.
The proposal included at least 70 new staff member suggestions across several different city departments and funding to design Fire Station No. 8.
The big picture
Six key themes officials identified for the FY 2025-26 budget include:
- Investing in public safety
- Maintaining a thriving downtown as Williamson County relocates
- Providing reliable water and electric services, along with askGTX and rideGTX
- Maintaining strong fiscal stewardship
- Investing in city staff
- Investing in infrastructure like water, roads and parks
Additionally, city officials are considering reducing the property tax rate from $0.3647 to $0.36 per $100 assessed valuation.
Although the proposed property tax rate is lower than FY 2024-25’s rate, Georgetown’s rising property values would mean the average property tax bill would increase by $62 for the year, a city spokesperson said in an email to Community Impact.
Diving in deeper
Georgetown’s water utility reaches over 170,000 people across its 440-square-mile service area, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
As growth beyond Georgetown’s city limits is increasing the demand for service without proportional revenue, city staff members must decide whether or not to begin charging “more appropriate” fees for nonresident use of parks, recreation and library service, per the presentation.
Officials first discussed increasing nonresident fees related to Georgetown Parks & Recreation and the Georgetown Public Library services June 24, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
Zooming out
Georgetown had ranked as the fastest-growing city in the U.S. with a population of more than 50,000 in 2021 and 2022, Community Impact previously reported. The city became the eighth fastest-growing in 2023 after the U.S. Census Bureau began including smaller cities in the data.
From July 1, 2023-July 1, 2024, the city of Georgetown ranked as the 71st fastest-growing city in the U.S., Community Impact previously reported.
“We still are dealing with and managing growth in the city,” Morgan said. “While the growth this last year has not been as fast as we’ve seen in the last few previous years, we still are dealing with the multiyear impact of rapid growth.”
One more thing
Morgan’s proposed budget will be presented to council members Aug. 12. A draft of the FY 2025-26 budget workbook can be found here.
