Round Rock City Council sealed the deal on its fiscal year 2026 budget yesterday, aligning city funds with strategic goals meant to prepare for a growing community. According to the City of Round Rock's announcement, the $789.7 million budget prioritizes public safety and infrastructure, enhancing the quality of life for residents while supporting tourism and local neighborhoods.
The plan, which garnered unanimous support from the Council, includes the addition of 17 new public safety positions to address the community's expansion. These positions are a mix of 10 police officers, six firefighters, and one law enforcement support technician, voted on Thursday. "These additions are necessary to maintain service levels as the community grows and to ensure that the City’s police and fire departments can respond effectively to both routine calls and emergencies," the City of Round Rock's statement outlined.
Major projects like Fire Station 10, designed to bolster northeast Round Rock's coverage, are on track for completion in fall 2026. The FY 26 budget also advances the build-out of Fire Station 11 and the Public Safety Training Center's expansion, which is said to include more classroom space and enhanced driving track facilities.
Road development also gets a significant portion of the pie, chalking up $161.7 million for large-scale expansion projects. Alongside these undertakings, Round Rock is pumping $4.3 million into neighborhood street maintenance in FY 26, expected to improve traffic flow and safety for the long haul. Also prioritized in the budget are over $30 million for utilities and stormwater updates designed to improve resilience and quality.
For recreation and quality of life, the budget supports the continued construction of amenities like Old Settlers Park and the expansion of the Round Rock Sports Center. Furthermore, Town Green Downtown Park will kick off construction in the next fiscal period, developed into a central hub for the community around the iconic water tower, as described in the city's release.
Property taxes will nudge up slightly to fund the new budget, with a rate set at $0.372 per $100 valuation—a 6.9 percent hike over the no-new-revenue rate. Round Rock's median homeowners will find their annual City tax bill around $1,470. Despite the increase, Round Rock maintains that commercial properties pull their weight, contributing a significant share to the tax base, which eases the burden on homeowners.
Sales tax, which remains crucial to the city's financial strategy, is expected to contribute $111.5 million in FY 26. A voter-approved move channels half a cent from the sales tax to property tax reduction, affording homeowners around $39 in savings per month. This approach, the city underlines, continues to secure economic stability for Round Rock amidst market fluctuations.
