Lago Vista taxpayers see county rate up 2.8%, hospital 12.6%

The Travis County Commissioners Court voted 5 to 0 on Sept. 15, 2026, to raise the county property tax rate to $0.386210 per $100 of taxable value, up from $0.375845.^1,2 The same day it voted 5 to 0 to set the rate for Central Health, the county's hospital district, at $0.132863, up 12.6%.¹ Lago Vista taxpayers pay both, and the two rates together come to $0.519073 per $100.^1,3 On Lago Vista's median homestead, that is about $1,160 a year for the county and $399 for Central Health.^1,4

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A two-host briefing. The voices are AI generated. Read the transcript.

A small wooden model house sits on a porch rail above a Hill Country lake, pulled taut by two ropes tied to its roof peak, one leading to a stack of blank ledger paper and the other to a coiled stethoscope on a folded white cloth. AI illustration, not a real scene from Lago Vista. — A model house pulled by two ropes, toward a ledger and a stethoscope. AI illustration. Image credits.

The county says its median homestead pays $30.64 less this year, while Central Health's median bill rises $34.71, to $495.10.^5,6 Lago Vista Mayor Shane Saum asked the court by phone to hold Central Health to its no-new-revenue rate.³ A no-new-revenue rate raises the same tax from the same properties as the year before.² The court adopted Central Health's proposed rate without change.^1,6

Percentages, sums, and per-home amounts that do not appear in a record are our calculations from the cited records. Tax rates are dollars per $100 of taxable value, which is a property's value after exemptions. The median home is the one in the middle, with half worth more and half worth less. Our Lago Vista home amounts use the city's taxable value for its median homestead. The county and Central Health may apply different exemptions than the city, so a real bill can differ.

What the court is and who decides

The Travis County Commissioners Court has five members, the county judge and four commissioners who each represent a precinct. On Sept. 15 they were County Judge Andy Brown, Commissioner Jeffrey Travillion of Precinct 1, Commissioner Brigid Shea of Precinct 2, Commissioner Ann Howard of Precinct 3, and Commissioner George Morales of Precinct 4.¹

The court sets the county's property tax rate each year. The rate has two parts, one for operations and one for debt service, which pays interest on money the county borrowed.⁷

The county's notice defines the no-new-revenue rate as the rate that raises the same tax from the same properties as last year. The voter-approval rate is the highest rate the county may adopt without an election.²

A homestead is a home its owner uses as a principal residence, and it can qualify for tax exemptions.⁸

The court also voted on the rate for the Travis County Healthcare District, called Central Health.¹

Our earlier story on how Lago Vista's city rate compares with six Texas cities found a city rate of $0.451988 per $100.⁴

Aug. 11, 2026, the court approves the notice

On Aug. 11 the court met in a voting session. It approved the text of the notice of the proposed tax rate. Commissioner Travillion moved, Commissioner Morales seconded, and all five members voted yes.⁹

The notice proposed $0.386210 and named $0.378179 as the no-new-revenue rate. It said the proposed rate was the same as the voter-approval rate. It said the proposal raises property taxes for the 2026 tax year.²

The notice's table shows the average homestead's taxable value falling 2.4%, from $515,213 to $502,989. The tax on that home rises $6.19, or 0.3%, to $1,942.59. The county's total levy, the tax it bills on all properties, rises $21,616,665, or 1.8%, to $1,247,649,058.²

County budget director Travis Gatlin told the court that the rate removes the one-time disaster funds that were in last year's budget. He said the median homestead's value fell 4.71%. He said the median homestead's tax would drop $30.64.⁵

Jessica Rio, the county executive for planning and budget, said the court would hold a hearing and vote on the rate on Sept. 15 and adopt the budget on Sept. 29.⁵

Sept. 10, 2026, the budget mark-up

On Sept. 10 the court held a budget mark-up session, where members make changes to the proposed budget. It voted 5 to 0 to use the preliminary budget as the starting point for those changes.¹⁰

Sept. 15, 2026, the hearing and the votes

The Sept. 15 session was the required public hearing on the tax rate.³ Commissioner Shea moved to open it and Commissioner Morales seconded.¹ No one from the public spoke on the county rate.³ Commissioner Shea moved to close the hearing and Commissioner Morales seconded.¹

Then the court voted on the rate in four motions. Judge Brown moved to adopt the findings in the tax order, and Commissioner Shea seconded. Judge Brown then moved the operations rate of $0.339737, and Commissioner Shea seconded.¹

He moved the debt rate of $0.046473, which repays county debt, and Commissioner Morales seconded. He moved the total of $0.386210, and Commissioner Shea seconded. Each passed 5 to 0.¹

The signed order warns that the rate "will raise more taxes for maintenance and operations than last year's tax rate."⁷ State law requires that warning when a rate will bring in more operations tax in total than the year before. The law also has the order compare the operations rate with the no-new-revenue operations rate.¹¹ By that measure, the order says the rate is effectively 0.6% lower and cuts operations taxes on a $100,000 home by about $1.94.⁷

Mr. Gatlin told the court the average homestead pays $6.19 more and the median homestead pays $30.64 less. Commissioner Shea asked him to repeat the $30 figure. He said the median value fell further than the average value, so the savings is greater.³

Central Health

Central Health's leaders then presented their budget and rate.^1,3 Chief Financial Officer Jeff Knodel said the extra $22.1 million from the 6% operations increase would go entirely toward new mental health investments.³

Central Health's slides list $53.6 million in total for new mental health work. The new tax money pays $22.1 million of it. An $18.5 million land settlement and $13 million from reserves pay the rest.¹²

The impact statement lists a prior rate of $0.118023 and a no-new-revenue rate of $0.125867.⁶ It lists a proposed rate of $0.132863, which the court adopted.^1,6 It puts the median homestead's bill at $460.39 last year, on a value of $390,086, and $495.10 this year, on a value of $372,638.⁶

The operations rate is $0.123603, a 6.0% increase. The debt rate is $0.00926, a 107.9% increase.¹ Mr. Knodel said the debt part is about 7% of the total rate.³

What the mayor did

Mayor Saum spoke by phone during the Central Health item.³ The minutes list him as "Lago Vista Mayor."¹ He said he had already submitted his full written comments.³

He asked the court not to go above the no-new-revenue rate "until communities like Lago Vista can have deeper conversations about bringing direct services to our city." He estimated that Lago Vista properties generated about $13.3 million in Central Health property taxes from 2021 through 2026. He said the yearly amount was "more than doubling in just five years."³

He said Central Health's long-term planning documents do not list Lago Vista. He said residents "were not even aware we are in the hospital district."³

If the court passed the rate anyway, he asked it to direct Central Health to build a plan for health care in Lago Vista. He listed mobile health clinics, telehealth, enrollment events, health screenings, and transportation help as possible parts.³

A Central Health speaker told the court the mayor had also spoken to its board of managers on Sept. 2. The speaker said Central Health leaders and community care leaders would visit Lago Vista on Oct. 29. The mayor said the meeting is set for 9 a.m. at Lago Vista City Hall and invited the commissioners.³

Commissioner Howard said, "it does feel like a health care desert out there." She said some of the suggestions from the mayor were among the best she had heard. Commissioner Shea said, "I do represent Lago Vista." She said she would take part in the Oct. 29 meeting and that the mayor's point about visibility was well taken.³

Judge Brown then moved Central Health's operations rate of $0.123603, and Commissioner Shea seconded.³ The motion text in the minutes does not mention a plan for Lago Vista. He also moved Central Health's debt rate and total rate, Commissioner Shea seconded both, and each passed 5 to 0. The court also approved Central Health's budget 5 to 0.¹

Sept. 29, 2026, the court adopts the budget

On Sept. 29 the court held what county staff called the final required public hearing on the budget.¹³

Commissioner Shea moved to approve the budget and Commissioner Travillion seconded.¹⁴ The court then split the vote in two so Commissioner Morales could abstain on the line items for one group the county contracts with, the Safe Alliance.^13,14

Commissioner Shea moved the budget line items related to the Safe Alliance, and Commissioner Travillion seconded.¹⁴ Judge Brown and Commissioners Travillion, Shea, and Howard voted yes, and Commissioner Morales abstained.^13,14 Commissioner Shea then moved all other budget line items, and Commissioner Travillion seconded. That motion passed 5 to 0.¹⁴

How they voted

All five members voted yes on every Sept. 15 motion on the county rate and on Central Health's rates and budget.¹ On Sept. 29 all five voted yes on the county budget, except that Commissioner Morales abstained on the Safe Alliance line items.¹⁴

What it means for you

The county rate rose, but the county says its median homestead pays $30.64 less. Mr. Gatlin said that is because one-time disaster money came out of the rate and the median home's value fell 4.71%. That is the median for all of Travis County, not for Lago Vista.⁵

Lago Vista's median homestead has a taxable value of $300,463 after $81,673 of exemptions, the city says.⁴ At that value, the county rate would produce a tax of about $1,160.^4,7 The Central Health rate would produce about $399.^4,15

The city estimates its own tax on that median home at $1,358.06 a year.⁴ The county and Central Health taxes are billed on top of it, so the three together come to about $2,918 a year.^1,4

The proposed rate equals the voter-approval rate, and the total levy grows $21,616,665.²

Commissioner Shea said she views the new mental health spending as an investment in prevention.³

What we could not find

Mayor Saum's written comments, which he said he had already submitted. We searched the Sept. 15 agenda packet and found none.³
The mayor's 2026 yearly Central Health figure, which the official transcript garbles.³
A county breakdown of how the extra $21,616,665 in levy will be spent.²
Any record that says how much of Central Health's new mental health money will be spent in Lago Vista.¹²
Lago Vista's county taxable values from the Travis Central Appraisal District.⁴

What you can do

Ask the Travis County Clerk, who keeps the court's records, for the written comments Mayor Saum said he submitted, using a Texas Public Information Act request.^1,3
Ask the county's Planning and Budget Office how the extra $21,616,665 in levy will be spent.^2,14
Ask Central Health how much of its new mental health money will be spent in Lago Vista.¹²
Ask the Travis Central Appraisal District for Lago Vista's county taxable values.¹
Look up your own county tax bill at the county tax assessor's website, www.traviscountytax.org.²
Ask the city whether the public may attend the Oct. 29 meeting with Central Health leaders at Lago Vista City Hall at 9 a.m.³
Write to Commissioner Shea, who said she represents Lago Vista.³

If you have records on this, you can share them with us at /share-records. We protect your identity and publish the evidence when we can do so safely.

Podcast transcript

Read the transcript

Host 1. This is the Lago Vista Watchdog briefing. The two voices you are hearing are AI generated. Every fact in this episode is sourced in the full story on our website, and a person validates each story before it is published.

Host 2. Here is the bottom line. This story is about the county tax rates Lago Vista taxpayers pay, and what they could cost. On September 15, 2026, the Travis County Commissioners Court voted 5 to 0 to raise the county property tax rate to about 38.6 cents per 100 dollars of taxable value, up from about 37.6 cents, according to the court's minutes and the county's tax notice.

Host 1. The same day, the court voted 5 to 0 to set the rate for Central Health, the county's hospital district, at 13.2863 cents, up 12.6 percent. Lago Vista taxpayers pay both rates, and together they come to 51.9073 cents per 100 dollars, by our calculation. On Lago Vista's median homestead, that is about 1,160 dollars a year for the county and 399 dollars for Central Health, by our math. The county says its median homestead pays 30 dollars and 64 cents less this year, while Central Health's median bill rises 34 dollars and 71 cents.

Host 2. Lago Vista Mayor Shane Saum called in and asked the court not to go above Central Health's no-new-revenue rate. The court adopted Central Health's proposed rate without change.

Host 1. Now, in order, here is how we got here. The Travis County Commissioners Court has five members, the county judge and four commissioners who each represent a precinct. They are County Judge Andy Brown and Commissioners Jeffrey Travillion, Brigid Shea, Ann Howard, and George Morales.

Host 2. The county's notice defines the no-new-revenue rate as the rate that raises the same tax from the same properties as last year. The voter-approval rate is the highest rate the county may adopt without an election.

Host 1. On August 11, the court approved the text of the notice of the proposed tax rate. Commissioner Travillion moved, Commissioner Morales seconded, and all five members voted yes. The notice proposed 38.621 cents and named 37.8179 cents as the no-new-revenue rate. It said the proposed rate was the same as the voter-approval rate.

Host 2. The notice's table shows the average homestead's taxable value falling 2.4 percent. The tax on that home rises 6 dollars and 19 cents, to 1,942 dollars and 59 cents. The county's total levy, the tax it bills on all properties, goes up 1.8 percent, to 1,247,649,058 dollars.

Host 1. County budget director Travis Gatlin told the court the rate removes the one-time disaster funds that were in last year's budget. He said the median homestead's tax would drop 30 dollars and 64 cents.

Host 2. On September 15, the court held the required public hearing on the tax rate. No one from the public spoke on the county rate. Then Judge Brown moved four motions, Commissioner Shea seconded three of them, and Commissioner Morales seconded the debt rate. Each passed 5 to 0. The signed order warns that the rate, quote, will raise more taxes for maintenance and operations than last year's tax rate. State law requires that warning when total operations taxes rise. The order also says the rate is effectively 0.6 percent lower than the no-new-revenue operations rate, and cuts operations taxes on a 100,000 dollar home by about 1.94 dollars.

Host 1. Central Health's leaders then presented their budget and rate. Chief Financial Officer Jeff Knodel said the extra 22.1 million dollars from the 6 percent rate would go entirely toward new mental health investments. Central Health's impact statement puts the median homestead's bill at 460 dollars and 39 cents last year and 495 dollars and 10 cents this year.

Host 2. Mayor Saum told the court he estimated that Lago Vista properties generated about 13.3 million dollars in Central Health property taxes from 2021 through 2026. He asked the court not to go above the no-new-revenue rate, quote, until communities like Lago Vista can have deeper conversations about bringing direct services to our city.

Host 1. He said Central Health's long-term planning documents do not list Lago Vista. If the court passed the rate anyway, he asked it to direct Central Health to build a plan for health care in Lago Vista. He listed mobile health clinics, telehealth, enrollment events, health screenings, and transportation help.

Host 2. A Central Health speaker told the court the mayor had also spoken to its board on September 2, and that Central Health leaders would visit Lago Vista on October 29. Commissioner Howard said, quote, it does feel like a health care desert out there. Commissioner Shea said she would take part in the October 29 meeting.

Host 1. Judge Brown moved Central Health's operations rate, debt rate, and total rate, Commissioner Shea seconded each, and each passed 5 to 0. The court also approved Central Health's budget 5 to 0. The motion text in the minutes does not mention a plan for Lago Vista.

Host 2. On September 29, the court adopted the county budget. It split the vote in two so Commissioner Morales could abstain on the line items for one group the county contracts with, the Safe Alliance. On those items, four members voted yes and Commissioner Morales abstained. All other line items passed 5 to 0.

Host 1. What it means for you. For illustration, Lago Vista's median homestead has a taxable value of 300,463 dollars, the city says. The city puts its own tax on that home at 1,358 dollars and 6 cents. Add the county and Central Health, and the three together come to about 2,918 dollars a year. The county and Central Health may apply different exemptions than the city, so a real bill can differ.

Host 2. What we could not find. We did not find Mayor Saum's written comments in the September 15 agenda packet. We also could not find a county breakdown of how the extra levy will be spent, or Lago Vista's county taxable values.

Host 1. What you can do. Look up your own county tax bill at the county tax assessor's website. Ask the city whether the public may attend the October 29 meeting with Central Health leaders at Lago Vista City Hall. And write to Commissioner Shea, who said she represents Lago Vista.

Sources and documents

Every fact in this story comes from the records below. The small numbers in the story point to them. Links go to the exact moment in the meeting video or the page in the document.

See something wrong? Request a correction. Have records on this? Share them with us.