Proponents: Breaks lure big business to Williamson County
GEORGETOWN — Williamson County this week tightened up its tax-abatement policies many credit for creating new jobs and helping lure Samsung Austin Semiconductor and Apple Inc. to the area.
Commissioners Court approved the adoption of revised guidelines to the county’s tax-abatement policy during a special 15-minute public hearing Tuesday. The county updates those every two years.
“(The newer policy) has more specificity on things like internships and things that really benefit the citizens,” said Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long. “We also have kind of tightened up, what happens if a company defaults, and how we make sure that we deal appropriately with that company.”
Long noted during the Dec. 9 meeting the 2025 policy offers more detail about general eligibility and minimum standards companies need to maintain to qualify for an abatement, plus clearer directions and procedures that businesses need to follow or deliver to the county, such as a certain number of internship programs and job creation.
Tax abatements that allow for deferred levies or tiered disbursements are common tools to attract new ventures to an area and thereby create more jobs and opportunities, proponents said. Critics say they are unfair tax breaks.
Georgetown resident Rick Lutowski spoke against the tax-abatement policy during the public-comment period, citing what he called strains on infrastructure, traffic congestion and constant road work brought about by new industries and rapid population growth.
According to demographers, Williamson County is not only one of the fastest growing in the state but the nation.
Lutowski agreed that offering companies a big tax break is an incentive to move their businesses to the county.
“But by that same token, if this is really a good place to live and to open a business compared to a lot of other options, then maybe they move here without a tax break anyway,” he said.
Lutowski encouraged the commissioners to stop providing tax breaks to companies and let “the county stand on its own merits as far as attracting businesses go,” he said.
Dave Porter, executive director of economic development for the county, offered a different perspective.
He said the policies are guidelines and are not offered to every business coming into Williamson County. However, in his opinion, Samsung and Apple would not have chosen to set up shop in Williamson County if the policies had not been available.
“Typically, the bigger clients will request those types of incentives because they make the most impact,” Porter said.
Long also noted that not so long ago, many in Williamson County traveled to Austin for jobs, but that is not the case anymore as tax abatements have brought in businesses with good wages that allow people to work closer to home.
“If we want generations to be able to call Williamson County home, we’ve got to be able to have good jobs for them,” Long added.
In other business, commissioners approved the lease of 343 county-owned acres at 600 CR 131 in Hutto for farming and livestock grazing.
The court also approved agreements between the Williamson County Expo Center, 5350 Bill Pickett Trail in Taylor, and the Williamson County Livestock Association to hold a youth livestock show and the Taylor Rodeo Association to amend two of the TRA’s booked events.
Commissioners next meet at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 16 at 710 S. Main St. Sessions can also be viewed online at wilcotx. gov/331/Commissioners-Court.
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If we want generations to be able to call Williamson County home, we’ve got to be able to have good jobs for them.”
— Precinct 2 Commissioner Cynthia Long
