McLennan County weighs 6-cent property-tax increase affecting Waco homeowners

Waco-area homeowners could pay more in county property taxes if McLennan County adopts a proposed 6-cent rate increase as part of its fiscal year 2027 budget process.

The proposed county rate would rise from 33.4805 cents to 39.4805 cents per $100 of taxable value. For a property with $200,000 in taxable value, the change would add approximately $120 per year, or about $10 per month, to the county portion of the bill.

The increase has not been adopted as of Tuesday, August 4, 2026. The McLennan County Commissioners Court has scheduled public hearings before a planned vote on the budget and tax rate.

What the proposal could cost

The $120 example is based on $200,000 of taxable value, not necessarily a property’s appraised or market value. Exemptions, including homestead and over-65 exemptions, can reduce the taxable value used to calculate the bill, so individual amounts will vary.

The proposal would affect only the county share of a Waco property-tax bill. A local bill can also include separate rates for the City of Waco, Waco Independent School District or another school district, McLennan Community College and other taxing entities.

McLennan County’s 2025 tax-rate table lists the county rate as 0.334805, or 33.4805 cents per $100 of taxable value. The same table separately lists Waco ISD, the City of Waco and McLennan Community College.

Why county officials say the increase is needed

County officials say the proposed increase would help cover rising costs tied to public safety, employee recruitment and retention, inflation, state-mandated services and infrastructure.

The county’s stated cost pressures include higher expenses for fuel, utilities, insurance, construction materials, equipment and contracted services, along with the need to maintain county roads, bridges, facilities and technology. Officials also cited continued demands on public-safety and criminal-justice operations.

Those points are the county’s justification for the proposal; they do not by themselves establish that the added revenue will produce specific service improvements.

Budget projects $18.76 million more in property-tax revenue

McLennan County’s proposed FY 2027 budget says it would raise $18,763,905 more in property-tax revenue than the prior budget, a 19.20% increase.

The proposed budget covers the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027. It also projects $2,565,427 in property-tax revenue from new property added to the tax roll.

When Waco-area residents can comment

The county has scheduled a public hearing on the proposed 2026 tax rate for August 18, 2026, at 6 p.m. in the McLennan County Commissioners Courtroom.

A public hearing on the proposed FY 2027 budget is scheduled for August 27, 2026, at 9 a.m. in the Commissioners Courtroom.

The Commissioners Court is scheduled to adopt the budget and tax rate on August 27. That is a planned action, not a guarantee that the proposal will pass unchanged. Commissioners could amend the budget or tax rate before final action.

Sources

• McLennan County FY 2027 Proposed Budget
• KWTX: McLennan County proposes first property tax rate increase in years