Urban Planning: Central Texas, Georgetown proposed budget to raise tax rate

Article published by the Austin American Statesman

GEORGETOWN
Proposed budget would raise tax rate
The average homeowner in Georgetown will have to pay $57.26 more in taxes if a proposed city budget is passed.
The proposed budget, presented in a workshop to the Georgetown City Council on Tuesday, would raise the tax rate 3.13 cents from the current rate of 35.62 cents per $100 of assessed property value. The owner of the average-value home, worth $198,055, paid $652.08 this budget year but would pay $709.34 after exemptions under the proposed budget for 2012.
Public hearings on the proposed budget will be held Aug. 9 
and Aug. 18 at the City Council chambers at 101 E. Seventh St.

"One factor for a property tax rate higher than 2011 is the bonds approved by the City Council for two projects: Fire Station 5 on DB Wood Road and a new Fire Station 2 on Williams Drive at Central Drive," city spokesman Keith Hutchinson said.

Other capital projects that affected the proposed tax rate were approved by voters in bond elections and include design work for a public safety operations and training facility on DB Wood Road, the construction of Southeast Arterial 1, the widening of FM 1460 and the extension of a hike-and-bike trail from Blue Hole Park to 17th Street, Hutchinson said.