Volusia tax rates stay flat or reduced, but higher property values may make some pay more
Volusia County taxpayers can expect flat or reduced property tax rates in the next budget year, but that doesn't necessarily mean their tax bills will be smaller.
The Volusia County Council voted this week on property tax rates, called millage rates, that will be used to create the proposed budget for the next fiscal year.
Council members said they plan to see if they can reduce the proposed rates and cut other costs to taxpayers before the budget is finalized. The next fiscal year starts Oct. 1, and that's when the new budget will go into effect.
What are the millage rates?
The county funds a large portion of its operations through property taxes. The General Fund has the highest millage rate. That funding goes to key services such as the sheriff's office, property appraiser, clerk of court, county jail, beach safety, and fire services, among other things.
But this year, the county will apply a new millage rate that will be used to fund the sheriff's office: The Public Safety Fund. But the county is reducing the General Fund millage for the new fiscal year to account for the added millage so that there is no increase overall.
The total millage between the two is 4.8499 mills. That's the same as the current General Fund millage rate.
The county has several other property tax rates that fund the county government. Here are county taxes and their proposed rates. The rolled-back rate is what would bring in the same level of revenue in the next fiscal year.
The Library Fund ( 0.4213 mills, rolled back).
The Municipal Services District (1.6999 mills, rolled back).
Ponce De Leon Inlet and Port District (.0693 mills, rolled back).
Silver Sands Bethune Beach Municipal Services District. (0.0118, rolled back).
Fire Rescue District (3.8412, flat).
Volusia ECOH (0.2 mills, flat).
Volusia Forever (0.2 mills, flat).
East Volusia Mosquito Control (0.1781 mills, flat).
The millages for the General Fund, Public Safety Fund, Library, ECHO and Volusia Forever apply countywide. The others may or may not apply depending on where someone lives.
So what does this mean for my tax bill?
The millage rates don't tell the whole story. Flat or reduced millage rates from the county might not necessarily mean a less expensive bill. Not if the property's value increases enough.
Property taxes are based on the millage rate and a property's taxable value. One mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value. If a property's taxable value goes up and the millage stays the same, the tax bill will go up.
The 4.8499 mills for the General Fund and Public Safety budgets are equal to $4.8499 for every $1,000 in taxable property value. So a property with a taxable value of $300,000 would pay $1,454.97 for those two categories.
Some other things that influence tax bills: Some people have reduced property taxes through exemptions. And there are taxing authorities in Volusia County that add to the bill, such as Volusia County Schools.
Here's an example tax bill for 2022 for a single-family home in Ormond Beach.
What's next?
The next step will be for the council to approve the same rates in a formal vote that will allow tax notices to be sent to residents. The council will at that point still be able to reduce those millage rates before finalizing them and the budget at public budget hearings before Oct. 1.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia County Council sets preliminary tax rates
