For the first time in over 20 years, the Hays County Tax Office will be updating its property tax software to modernize the system. Taxpayers will not have access to the system until mid-October.

The gist: The county’s transition to a new property tax system aims to improve the Tax Office’s efficiency and operations. Staff will have access to updated technology, making it easier to serve community members, according to a Hays County news release.

The current property tax system will be unavailable from Sept. 21 to Oct. 13 to complete the transition to the new software. Services that will be unavailable during this time include:

• Online property tax payments

• Property tax account lookups and balance information

• Payment history and tax statement requests

• Other services requiring access to property tax account records

Residents can pay their property tax by cash or check in person at any Hays County Tax Office location or use a Tax Office drop box during this time, according to the release.

IKEA announced it will not renew its lease for its small-format store in San Marcos, marking the spot’s upcoming closure.

The overview: A statement on the company’s website announced that the furniture store's San Marcos location would not continue to operate.

The decision was influenced by the company's strategy to continue building its affordable, accessible and sustainable future, according to the website.

The background: The store opened on July 16, 2025, in the former Conn’s Home Plus within San Mar Plaza. The location offered over 2,000 products and a selection of Swedish Food Market items.

Looking ahead: Local customers can visit one of the remaining IKEA locations in the region, according to the website, including:

• IKEA Round Rock

• IKEA in Best Buy South Austin

• IKEA Live Oak

• IKEA in Best Buy Alamo Ranch

“We continue to test, explore, and develop new ways for customers to meet IKEA, while investing in home delivery, pick-up services and our online experience,” said the statement.

• Closing Nov. 1

• 917 Hwy. 80 N., San Marcos

This November, four candidates are running to lead the Texas Comptroller's Office and serve as the state's chief financial officer.

The overview: Libertarian V. Alonzo Echavarria-Garza, Democrat Sarah Eckhardt, Green Party candidate Shehla Faizi and Republican Don Huffines are running for comptroller. Huffines, whom Gov. Greg Abbott appointed to the office in July, is considered the incumbent in this race.

How it works: The comptroller oversees government spending and administers the state's $1 billion education savings account program, which launched ahead of the 2026-27 school year.

Looking ahead: Early voting runs from Oct. 19-30 in the midterm election, and Election Day is Nov. 3.

Across Texas, the taxes that homeowners pay to their local school districts went down by about 13.6% in 2025, one state senator found.

The overview: Across the board, many Texas counties mailed out reduced property tax bills for the 2025 tax year, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, reported. During a Sept. 1 hearing of the Senate Local Government Committee, he said the average homeowner's property tax bill went down by about $140 last year, falling from $1,037 per year in 2024 to $896 per year in 2025.

Texas' 2026-27 budget includes $51 billion in property tax relief, previous Community Impact reporting shows. Unless the legislature rolls back existing tax exemptions, the state will be required to spend that much or more on tax relief in future bienniums.

How it works: The state does not charge property taxes, meaning homeowners are taxed by local entities such as school districts, cities, counties and municipal utility districts. The Texas Legislature, however, can place limits on how much local governments raise taxes annually and require tax exemptions for certain groups.