Liberty Hill City Council members approved a $138 million budget for fiscal year 2026-27 that will keep the median property tax bill close to the same amount as the previous year.

City leaders said they developed the budget with the goal of keeping up with explosive growth. For the area’s median home, valued at $339,763, a homeowner can expect to pay around $1,600 in property taxes.

What you need to know: The property tax rate will increase from $0.469407 per $100 valuation to $0.494268 per $100 valuation following City Council members’ vote Sept. 9.

However, a $20,000 decrease in the median taxable property value in Liberty Hill means the projected median property tax bill will decrease by about $6 despite the higher tax rate.

The increase is necessary for city services and infrastructure to keep up with the city’s rapid growth, Finance Director Josh Armstrong said.

Quote of note: “Cutting the rate any lower than what we [have proposed] would be like shooting yourself in the foot before a marathon,” Armstrong said at an Aug. 12 City Council meeting.

A new Leander salon is now offering manicures, pedicures and threading services. Clients can receive a 10% discount on their first service at White File Studio.

The details: The studio offers different styles of nail services, including builder gel and gel polish.

• 200 W. Metro Drive, Bldg. 1, Ste. 120, Leander

Texas does not have a single system to connect first responders in emergencies, meaning local and state agencies often operate on a network of radio systems that are not always compatible with one another.

The big picture: State leaders said there are more than 50 different radio systems used by first responder agencies across Texas.

"We have situations where counties and cities are on separate ones, and they never know it until they have to [communicate with] each other," state Rep. Ken King, R-Canadian, said during a Sept. 14 legislative hearing.

Looking ahead: King has vowed to pass a bill to integrate first responder communications under a statewide system during the 2027 legislative session, with some emergency management experts calling interagency communications "the No. 1 issue" in the aftermath of disasters.

"[This] is not simply a communication issue—it's a responder safety issue and an operational effectiveness issue," said Kyle Mills, head of planning and preparedness for the Texas A&M Forest Service.