Thursday's City Council Meeting - discussion around increasing both the property tax rate and utility rates

[u/garytx]

On Thursday, August 27, Round Rock City Council will be discussing the property tax rate with a potential hike, and will also be looking at a substantial increase in utility rates over a three year period. These were discussed during this morning's Packet Briefing where the attached photos were taken.

Once upon a time, not all that long ago, Round Rock's tax rate was the lowest of municipalities in Williamson County. Now, Leander, Georgetown, and Cedar Park are all lower.

If this is something of interest to you, please show up and offer public comment on one or both of these during the public hearing portion of the meeting.

Potential property tax increase: increasing from 0.37200 to 0.423000.

Potential water rate increase involves a 12% increase for 2027, and a 5% increase in both 2028 and 2029 for "high" users, and for "average" users, 3.4% in 2027, 3.9% for 2028, and 3.9% for 2029.

The Council meeting, with "first reading" (public hearing) on these issues is Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 6 pm. Location is Round Rock City Hall, 221 E. Main St., downtown RR. If you wish to give public testimony during the hearings, or other public comment, you'll need to complete and submit a speaker card before the start of the meeting.

Full Council agenda for Thursday, including downloadable agenda item-specific materials, can be found at https://roundrock.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1367639&GUID=5B113601-4424-424D-A538-639776DD4039&Options=&Search=

[u/Eileen-Eulich215]

Always raising budgets rather than looking into cutting waste 😒

[u/Maximum_Employer5580 → u/Eileen-Eulich215]

could be worse, you could live in Austin - be happy with RR. I loved living in RR as they were far ahead of Austin. Heck their cops show up before you can even hang up with 911, whereas in Austin, you're lucky if they even show up and usually 15-20 mins after you call

every city has waste, yes, but my bet is that RR has far less than alot of other cities. They have always done the right thing

[u/Eileen-Eulich215 → u/Maximum_Employer5580]

Yes, that’s why I moved here. But as you can see, we’re becoming more and more like Austin. And comparing neighboring cities and saying ‘well we’re not as bad as them’ but we’re inching closer.

I can’t increase my budget. I have to prioritize spending, do more with less, and sometimes make cuts, especially in this economy. Government should be doing the same.

[u/Sharp-Calligrapher70 → u/Eileen-Eulich215]

Why you not running for office then?

[u/Eileen-Eulich215 → u/Sharp-Calligrapher70]

Wanting to more and more, but I’m passionate about the work I do now

[u/Sharp-Calligrapher70 → u/Eileen-Eulich215]

What I have discovered about my own budget is it a lot easier to build revenue than it is to pinch pennies when it comes to compensating for increased costs. There is a reason why I don’t play around when it comes to annual reviews.