Election 2026: Proposed tax increase for some Williamson County school districts

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas - If you live in Williamson County, your property taxes may go up after Election Day. You will vote on a tax increase towards the bottom of your ballot if you live in the Leander, Round Rock, or Georgetown school districts. 

It is called Prop A in all three districts. The money this would generate would help support schools. 

If a district wants to raise taxes above a certain rate, they have to ask voters. This is called a VATRE, or Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election. 

What you can do:

Do you support a property tax increase to help your school district? Vote here.

Georgetown ISD VATRE

The backstory:

Georgetown ISD's proposal would increase your school tax bill by $7.97 for the average valued home compared to last year. If your home value is the same, it would be an average of $15 increase per month. 

This would generate $8.4 million for staff raises. The district does not have a budget deficit. They haven't had a VATRE since 2012. 

"We are a financially lean school district. We put more into the classroom than most school districts are across Texas. We put less into administration. In fact, our administrators are underpaid compared to administrators in Central Texas," said Dr. Devin Padavil, superintendent of Georgetown ISD. 

Without it, they might have to increase class sizes, reduce staff, or adjust student programs. 

"This is our only resource for generating revenue to increase pay for teachers and staff. It is the people who work directly with kids that are the most important function of our school district," Padavil said. 

Leander ISD VATRE

The backstory:

Leander ISD's Prop A would increase your school tax bill by about $2.30 per month, or $27 per year. It would generate $6.7 million for the district.

Leander ISD has a budget deficit of $9.9 million. They've already cut $26 million over the last two budget cycles, including closing a school and eliminating positions. 

"Nobody wants their taxes to go up, but I think the community in Leander ISD values public education, and these dollars will help maintain and continue programs that are of value to the people that live in our district," Dr. Chris Clark, superintendent of Leander ISD, said. 

Their last VATRE was four years ago. 

Round Rock ISD VATRE

The backstory:

Round Rock ISD's proposed increase would be an average of $16.59 per month.

It would generate $15 million to help with staff salaries and healthcare, plus to offset inflation costs. 

Many districts say increased costs and a lack of state funding contribute to deficits. Recapture plays a role, where revenue from property-rich districts get sent to the state to be redistributed to property-poor districts. 

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