County Tentatively Approves $854M Budget & Higher Tax Rate

Volusia County, FL - The Volusia County Council unanimously voted to tentatively pass the 2017-2018 millage rates and budget at their first public hearing on the subject.

At the meeting, the Council approved the following millage rates:

• General Fund tax rate of 6.1000 mills, 5.9% higher than rolled back rate
• Library Fund tax rate of 0.5520 mills, 6.2% higher than rolled back rate
• Volusia Forever Operating Fund tax rate of 0.0905 mills, 3.2% higher than rolled back rate
• Volusia Forever Fund – Voted Debt tax rate of 0.1095 mills
• Volusia ECHO Fund tax rate of 0.2000 mills, 6.1% higher than rolled back rate
• East Volusia Mosquito Control District Fund tax rate of 0.1880 mills, 6.2% higher than rolled back rate
• Ponce De Leon Inlet and Port District Fund tax rate of 0.0929 mills, 6.2% greater than rolled back rate
• Municipal Service District Fund tax rate of 2.2399 mills, 4.9% greater than rolled back rate
• Silver Sands-Bethune Beach Fund tax rate of 0.0150 mills, 3.4% greater than rolled back rate
• Fire Rescue District Fund tax rate of 4.0815 mills, 5.0% greater than rolled back rate

The 6.1% property tax rate will be the same as the 2016-17 rate. But, since property values have risen in the last year, keeping the same tax rate will feel like a 5.9% increase in tax to property owners in Volusia.

The 2017-2018 budget was tentatively passed at a total of $854,360,692. $712,641,123 will go towards the Operating Budget and $141,719,569 will go towards the Non-operating Budget.

Both the millage rates and the budget require a second public hearing before they can be finalized. At 6 PM on September 21, the public is invited to attend the second, and final, public hearing on the subject. At this meeting, the Council will officially decide on the tax rates and budget so that they can begin to advertise.

Photo courtesy of Congarashu and Shutterstock.com.

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