Letter: Large change in collection of Gainesville stormwater and solid waste fees is imminent

Letter to the editor

The 2026 TRIM (Truth in Millage) notice deserves prompt and careful review this year if you own real property within the City of Gainesville.

The Gainesville City Commission has decided to move the billing of stormwater and residential solid waste fees from monthly GRU electric bills to the annual ad valorem property tax bill.

Beginning this fall, these charges will appear as non-ad valorem assessments on the property tax bill issued in November 2026.

This change significantly alters both how these fees are billed, how property owners can challenge them, and who pays the bill.

Stormwater Assessments

Stormwater fees are intended to reflect the amount of rainwater that runs off a property into the City’s stormwater system. However, the methodology used to calculate these assessments differs depending on the type of property.

For non-residential properties, assessments are based on the amount of impervious surface located on a single tax parcel. For residential properties, the City uses a standardized, one-size-fits-all methodology, although certain property owners may qualify for an adjustment through an opt-out process.

Many property owners are unaware of potential issues with the assessment methodology, particularly for non-residential properties. Under the previous system, stormwater fees appeared monthly on GRU electric bills, requiring customers to raise concerns directly with GRU and the City. Under the new system, property owners who believe their assessment is incorrect can challenge it through the property tax appeal process after receiving their TRIM notice. The Tax Collector will decide. Because objections are subject to strict deadlines, owners should carefully review their TRIM notices when they arrive during the third week of August.

Instead of twelve (12) monthly charges appearing on GRU electric bills, a single annual non-ad valorem assessment will appear on the November property tax bill. Landlords, in particular, may experience a significant increase in their property tax bill, because stormwater charges that were previously paid through tenants’ GRU electric accounts will now become the responsibility of the property owner as part of the annual property tax bill. In addition, the methodology used to calculate these fees is changing.

Residential Solid Waste

Another significant change involves residential solid waste collection fees.

Within the City of Gainesville, non-residential properties generally do not receive municipal solid waste collection service. Commercial property owners typically contract directly with private waste haulers and pay those companies separately.

Residential properties, however, currently are billed for solid waste collection through monthly charges on GRU electric bills. Beginning November 1, 2026, those monthly charges will instead be combined into a single annual non-ad valorem assessment on the property tax bill. Rather than paying twelve (12) monthly installments, property owners will pay the full year’s 2026-27 assessment upfront.

Hardship Exemptions

The change in billing of stormwater and solid waste also creates an opportunity that did not previously exist when these charges were collected through GRU.

Property owners meeting applicable low-income requirements may qualify for relief from all three (3) non-ad valorem assessments through a hardship exemption administered by the Tax Collector. This one-time exemption may apply to the following assessments:

1. Fire assessment: This exemption is based on the square footage of structures and is about to increase by approximately 60 percent.

2. Stormwater assessment: Based on the City’s adopted methodology.

3. Residential solid waste assessment: Based on the size of the cart(s)

To qualify, applicants generally must:

• timely file a complete application;
• satisfy the applicable income requirements; and
• meet all other eligibility requirements established by law and local policy.

The exemption applies only to the current tax year and is not automatic. This process is likewise available outside the city of Gainesville.

A Shift of Approximately $28 Million

The City’s decision will reduce monthly GRU electric bills because stormwater and residential solid waste fees will no longer be tied to the electric meter. However, those same fees will instead be collected through the annual property tax bill for the parcel, not the electric meter in question.

The City estimates that approximately $28 million in stormwater and solid waste fees will be shifted from GRU electric bills to property tax bills during the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

Some property owners will benefit from the change, while others may see substantially higher annual property tax bills because these costs must now be paid in a lump sum rather than over twelve (12) monthly payments. Landlords, owners of multiple contiguous properties, and owners of certain commercial properties may be particularly affected by the shift away from tenants’ electric bills.

For low-income homeowners whose ad valorem tax bill is low because of 2) Save Our Homes (3% limit on an increase of the assessed value) or b) homestead and/or other exemptions, the billing of a 60% higher fire assessment and the new stormwater and solid waste assessments will greatly increase the total “Combined Taxes and Assessments.”

For these reasons, every property owner within the City of Gainesville should carefully examine their 2026 TRIM notice upon receipt. Review the proposed non-ad valorem assessments, verify that they accurately reflect your property, and be aware that any challenge to an assessment or hardship request for an exemption must be made within the applicable strict statutory deadlines.

Jim Konish, Gainesville

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