Alachua County Commission unanimously passes property tax millage and budget on second reading
BY JENNIFER CABRERA
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – During the evening portion of their September 26 meeting, the Alachua County Commission unanimously passed their property tax millage rates and budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
The County’s approved budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year is $757,036,496, a 7.7% increase over the FY23 approved budget of $703,068,309. That amount includes reserves, capital, state service contracts, non-exempt disbursements, and internal transfers. The total revenue projection to fund departments, programs, and services from all funding sources is $472 million. The General Fund revenue projection, which includes countywide property tax, is $296.6 million.
The board unanimously passed a property tax rate of 7.6414 mills, a decrease from last year’s 7.7662 mills but 7.51% greater than the rolled-back rate of 7.1074 mills. The Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU) law enforcement rate remained flat at 3.5678 mills, an 8.19% increase over the rolled-back rate of 3.2977 mills. The rolled-back rate is the tax rate that would raise the same amount of revenue based only on valuation increases in the same properties that were on the tax rolls last year.
Despite the decreased millage rate, taxes for most properties will increase due to property values rising by an average of 10.67%. The countywide property tax revenue will increase by approximately 7.5%.
Alachua County released the following highlights of the FY2024 budget:
- $206 Million For Public Safety
- Including funding to the Sheriff, Jail operations, Fire/Rescue, and diversion programs.
- $33.2 Million From Wild Spaces Public Places (WSPP)
- Including $13.3 million for land conservation, $11.7 million for roads, $4.9 million for affordable housing, and $3.3 million for parks
- $20 million for road projects
- Including $8 million in General Fund dollars added to the WSPP funding. View the Pavement Management Program interactive Map.
- $12.8 million in dedicated housing initiatives
- Including affordable and workplace housing projects, home rehabilitation funding, and housing for people experiencing homelessness.
- $34 million for the Facilities Master Plan
- Including $20 million for the new animal shelter and funding to move the Fire Rescue Headquarters and the Emergency Operations Center into the recently purchased National Guard Armory site
- Living Wage and Employee Retention
- Including a $1 increase in the County Minimum Wage from $16 to $17 an hour. All employees will receive a 4% cost of living increase and are eligible for an up to 2% merit increase.
Alachua County also released the information below regarding how the Alachua County portion of the property tax bill compared with Florida’s other 67 counties:
- The countywide millage rate ranks 41st (1 being the lowest and 67 the highest).
- Statewide, the average resident pays $784 in property taxes. In Alachua County, the average is $613, making Alachua County the 31st property tax per capita in the state.
- Only 64% of Alachua County’s Assessed Property Value is on the tax rolls. The State average is 83%. Only 4 out of 67 counties have more property off the tax rolls. If the County had the state average for property on the tax rolls, the millage rate could be reduced from 7.6414 mills to 5.9237 mills and still raise the same revenue.
The easiest answer to that last set of comments is that Alachua County is anti business, big time. Just look at all the distribution centers on I-75 in Ocala. Instead of ranking down in the top five or ten, we are the 41st highest taxed county. Welcome business instead of bums and freeloaders and you would see a better tax base, BOCC.
It is the state-owned land off the tax rolls that is the issue.
Not including, God knows how many students.
UF makes $1.140 billion a year.
Gainesville would be nothing without UF…and the small foot print they have is now where close to the money the students bring in every year…let alone what UF adds.
Think about how much they spend? On food, clothes, books, rent etc.
Without UF…we are a bug on the windshield.
No, it’s the westside sprawl and using I-75 as New Main Street that’s the problem.
Tallahassee doesn’t have that problem. I wonder why.
That’s just wrong. Leon County is right behind Alachua County in property off the tax rolls. They have the exact same problem. Perhaps a little research before commenting would be good.
Small part of overall treatment of businesses, and it’s been a few years now, but as a builder I have pulled several building permits in Marion county, and their process was much less friendly than either Gainesville or Alachua County. Similarly Lake County was much more difficult. I think our local offices sometimes get an undeserved bad rap.
I’ve had to visit our DMV a couple of times in the last year and that used to be horrible. No one wanted to go to the DMV.
Today it’s fantastic to deal with the DMV. They even won an major award for their hard work.
I’m waiting for the Commissions, both City and County, to say “Look to the neighbors on your left, now look to the right. Chances are one of the two won’t be there next year.”
Whether anyone wants to admit it or not, the costs of living and the number of homeless is increasing. Those two entities aren’t doing anything to preserve a person’s home, they’re trying to put a bandaid on the bleeding they’re causing.
Told you so…”Only 64% of Alachua County’s Assessed Property Value is on the tax rolls. The State average is 83%. Only 4 out of 67 counties have more property off the tax rolls. If the County had the state average for property on the tax rolls, the millage rate could be reduced from 7.6414 mills to 5.9237 mills and still raise the same revenue.”
It’s been mentioned many times. The properties the county purchases and is given by those seeking to “preserve” their legacy is to blame here. Between the County and UF owning so much property, taxes are only going to increase. All this time you liberal idiots thought it was only going to be the $.01 cent, “Wild Spaces and Public Spaces” tax. Like usual, gullible and naive.
That’s incorrect. Purchased Conservation land is typically ag-exempt and paid little to no taxes. In fact, conservation land typically raises the property value of nearby parcels and is a net plus for the tax rolls. It is government institutions like UF that are the issue.
The county doesn’t tax itself. The conservation easement does raise the taxes on the adjoining properties, for the reasons mentioned. Someone has to make up the difference, that would be the remaining property owners.
Can’t wait for single member districts to be implemented–it might not instantly end the clown show that is currently on display at the AC commission, but it might be the beginning of the end of the clown show.
“Best Zip Codes to Live in Florida”
32605
https://www.niche.com/places-to-live/search/best-zip-codes-to-live/s/florida/
If you select from the drop down lists of criteria at top of web page, Gainesville is typically in the top 3 or 4 in the state for cities in Florida.
I think I’m staying!
Gainesville is one the most expensive cities to live in Florida.
https://www.wcjb.com/2023/09/12/gainesville-ranked-2nd-most-expensive-city-live-florida/
You may be able to live and maintain a home comfortably in Gainesville but for many it’s getting increasingly difficult. Spend some time around the streets and sidewalks and you’ll see just how difficult.
The rating is bogus, and if you look at details you’ll see we are shown to be very cheap by utility costs (??) and the end scores compared average incomes – including our students who earn nothing – to COL. It’s BS
Now, now…calling the report from left leaning WCJB may be considered sacrilege in these parts.
They may revoke your contractor’s license.
Yeah, Jizzy you tell them. I agree with you once again (it’s like we are 2 peas in a pod). If the article does not support yours and my opinion than it is false and is a lie. It is like that TOTALLY BOGUS poll that showed Trump beating Hidden Biden by 10% the Washington Post put out. You and me both know that poll was total dookie. I think everybody knows it is more like Trump beating Biden by 20%. You are right you just can’t believe anything you don’t agree with anymore. A lot of people think the truth will set you free, but you and I know the truth hurts.
Thank goodness Jazzy Jeff I would hate to see you leave. It is great to live in the #1 city in Florida for highest cost of living. I am like you and very proud of the fact our current utility and property taxes are the highest in the state. Most people aren’t like you and I, and don’t see the benefit in living with the highest property tax and utility cost in the state. I mean without those high taxes and utility rates we would probably have more than the 2 shootings a week we have now, our schools would not be producing students where 49% of students are proficient in math and 54% in reading, not to mention just think how much worse our roads and traffic would be without our #1 ranked property taxes and utility rates in Florida. Jazzy Jeff I am staying here with you.
We understand you are a die hard Democrat, supporting the ruination of the city over the last 20 years by incompetent politicians. Enjoy the $0ciali$t governance while you can.
Why isn’t development and sprawl paying dividends, these tax hikes prove they blundered big time 🤡👹🍦🍦🍦🍦D
Oh well….there goes EVERBODY’S so called ‘affordable housing’. Now….I don’t want to hear a pip out of our commissioners cries about their social engineering BS!
If Gainesville was anywhere but Florida, it would be experiencing the same illegal immigrant issues other Democrat run cities are experiencing.
Rent is about to get much much higher and higher!