Gillespie County Commissioners Court is set to vote on a proposed property tax rate of $0.2873 per $100 of valuation for the 2026 tax year. This rate exceeds the no‑new‑revenue (NNR) benchmark of $0.2770, meaning it would raise property taxes for homeowners.
Proposed increase and its impact
The current adopted rate is $0.2685, so the new rate represents a 7 percent increase. For the average homestead, the change translates to roughly $84 more in annual taxes. Across the county, the levy would rise by about $1.78 million.
Budget context
The FY 2026‑27 budget notice indicates the total property tax levy would be $1,635,185 higher than last year, a 6.2 percent rise. Of that, $995,578 would come from new property tax revenue, while the remainder would be drawn from existing rolls.
Commissioners Court vote
All five members of the Commissioners Court—County Judge Daniel Jones and Commissioners Charles Olfers, Keith Kramer, Charles Jenschke, and Don Weinheimer—voted to consider the increase. No member voted against it. The court has not yet adopted the rate.
Financial reserves and alternatives
According to the county’s most recent independent audit (May 2024, covering the year ended September 30, 2023), Gillespie County held an unassigned general‑fund balance of $27.7 million—about 125 percent of annual general‑fund expenditures. Combined governmental fund balances total $42.3 million. Critics argue that such reserves suggest the county can meet its obligations without raising taxes.
The notice also lists a state‑mandated criminal‑justice adjustment of $0.0005 per $100, with no additional charges for indigent health‑care or defense.
Comparative example
Nearby Tarrant County has kept its property tax rates below the NNR benchmark for three consecutive years while still funding core services, illustrating that a Hill Country county with sizable reserves could adopt the NNR rate instead.
Public hearing
Residents can voice their opinions at a public hearing on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the Gillespie County Courthouse, 101 West Main Street, Fredericksburg. The court could still adopt the NNR rate of $0.2770 and adjust the budget accordingly, preserving taxpayers’ purchasing power.
Taxpayers are encouraged to attend and make their concerns heard before the final vote.
Original reporting: Texans for Fiscal Responsibility — read the source article.
