KERR COUNTY, Texas — As residents in the Hill Country focus on rebuilding and cleanup, Kerr County officials are now weighing a possible property tax increase to help fund disaster recovery.
Although the tax hike remains unapproved, county commissioners discussed it as a potential option earlier this week during ongoing budget talks.
This is budget season across Texas, and Kerr County commissioners must now account for the added financial burden of disaster recovery. The full extent of any property tax increase is still unclear, but Texas law provides a guideline.
Typically, county leaders can raise property taxes up to 3.5% above the no-new-revenue rate without requiring voter approval. However, due to the current disaster declaration, commissioners now have the authority to increase rates by as much as 8% without a public vote.
County Judge Rob Kelly clarified that the county hasn’t decided to raise the tax rate to that level. While FEMA reimburses emergency response costs, Kelly noted that the reimbursement process can take years. “The last time we had a major FEMA project, it took two to three years to get reimbursed,” he said.
Current estimates put damage to county roads at $8.5 million, though officials expect that number to change as assessments continue.
For now, Kerr County commissioners have not approved any property tax increase.
