The Alachua County Commission on Sept. 23 approved on final reading a nearly $1 billion budget that will see property taxes rise slightly despite the county lowering its millage rate for the ninth straight year
The commission, with Commissioner Mary Alford absent, voted during its regular meeting to lower its millage rate from 7.6180 to 7.6000. County Manager Michelle Lieberman said the final millage rate represents a 6.36% increase of its rolled back rate of 7.1455 mills.
A mill is equal to $1 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed property value. The rolled-back rate is the tax rate needed to generate the same amount of tax revenue as the previous fiscal year.
During the meeting, a budget presentation showed that the county’s millage rate has been reduced by 15% since 2016, when the rate was set at 8.9290 mills. In 2024, an average Alachua County property owner paid $714, while the state average was $942.
The county’s $946 million budget includes $324,7million allocated to its general fund. More than a quarter of its budget — $244 millon — will be allocated to public safety for services provided by the sheriff’s office, its jail, and Alachua County Fire Rescue.
Additionally, the county will allocate $108.5 million for the capital projects/facilties masterplan, $111 million for transportation and stormwater unfrastructure, and $34 million for Wild Spaces and Public Places, a third of qhich will go toward road projects.
The Alachua County Commission also voted to increase the minimum wage for county employees from $18 to $18.50.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Alachua County finalizes near $1 billion budget, property tax increase
Reporting by Elliot Tritto, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
