Brazos County Adopted a Higher Tax Rate: What Taxpayers Should Know

Sep 6

On September 1, 2026, the Brazos County Commissioners Court voted 3 to 2 to adopt a higher property tax rate for tax year 2026. Commissioners Fred Brown and Bentley Nettles voted against the increase.

The Final Adopted Rate

The adopted rate is $0.443474 per $100 of taxable property value, compared with last year's rate of $0.419700.

• Maintenance and Operations: $0.405000

• Debt Service: $0.038474

• Total Rate: $0.443474

The county's official resolution says the Maintenance and Operations portion represents a 2.17 percent increase and estimates an additional $15.55 per $100,000 of home value. The adopted budget expects $11,336,310 more in property tax revenue than the prior budget, an increase of 9.04 percent. Of that amount, $4,964,599 is expected from new property added to the tax roll.

Those percentages measure different things. The 2.17 percent figure applies to the Maintenance and Operations calculation, while the 9.04 percent figure is the total increase in property tax revenue budgeted by the county.

How It Compares With Earlier Proposals

Before the public hearings, the county proposed a maximum rate of $0.448474. The final adopted rate is lower than that ceiling, but it remains above both last year's rate and the 2026 no-new-revenue rate of $0.414658.

The no-new-revenue rate is designed to collect approximately the same property tax revenue from properties taxed in both years, excluding new construction and accounting for appraisal changes.

What It May Mean for Your Bill

Your individual bill will depend on your property's taxable value and exemptions. KBTX reported that county officials estimated an average annual increase of approximately $95 to $100. Community Impact calculated that a hypothetical $400,000 homestead could see an increase of about $95.10 in the county portion of its bill.

My Position

Brazos County is growing, and that growth requires serious planning for roads, drainage, public safety, facilities, and essential services. Growth should never be treated as a blank check.

I have attended budget workshops and Commissioners Court meetings, asked questions, and watched these decisions closely. Before raising taxes, county leaders should clearly explain the need, the alternatives considered, the effect on taxpayers, and the measurable results residents should expect.

As your Commissioner, I will review recurring expenses, staffing, contracts, capital projects, debt, and county assets with the same care I would expect from anyone responsible for public money. I will ask the hard questions, explain my votes in plain language, and take responsibility for every decision I make.