Average LG Homeowner to See 10% Rise in Property Taxes

The La Grange City Council proposed a property tax rate of $0.19953 at a meeting last Monday, Aug. 8.

That’s slightly less than the current rate of $0.2093. However, due to rising property values, the new lower rate will actually raise taxes by more than 10 percent for the average homeowner in La Grange. The City will see a 6.27 percent increase in property tax collections.

Texas Senate Bill 2, which took effect in 2020, limited cities and counties from raising property tax revenue by more than 3.5 percent in a year. The tax rate that the City Council adopted – $0.19953 per $100 of taxable property – was the highest they could have set it without triggering a property tax election.

La Grange City Manager Shawn Raborn presented projections for next year’s budget at last Monday’s meeting. According to his numbers, the City will generate $813,522 from property taxes next year, a $47,973 increase over this year. Property taxes make up only 10 percent of the City’s total revenue, which is expected to total $16.9 million next year. According to Raborn’s budget projections, about 28 percent of the City’s revenue comes from sales tax. The bulk of the City’s revenue, about 57 percent, comes from the sale of utilities, such as electric, water, sewer and waste services. Fines, forfeitures and penalties make up just one percent of the City’s total revenue.

The City’s utility departments account for $10.9 million of the City’s total $16.9  Notice is hereby given that the Fayette County Commissioners Court will hold a public hearing on the proposed 2023 Fayette County Budget on August 25, 2022 at 1 :30 p.m. The proposed 2023 budget is available for public inspection in the County Clerk’s Office, 246 W. Colorado, La Grange, Texas. (82-1c)