Bay County Commissioners maintain millage rate in new budget

BAY COUNTY, Fla. ( WMBB ) – Bay County Commissioners appear to have a budget they can live with. They held a public hearing Wednesday evening on the budget and the millage rate was the main topic.

The good news for property owners is the millage rate will remain the same as the current budget. Commissioners said they don’t want to take any more money out of people’s pockets than necessary.

This time last year, Bay County commissioners were finalizing the first property tax increase in more than a decade.

This year the millage rate will not change.

“Keeping the property taxes lower like we have. I mean, that’s just it’s going to help out all the property owners, it tenants, you know, any of those people. They’re tenants. I mean, they’re paying property taxes, too. It’s just rolled into the rent. So keeping their taxes low,” Commissioner Tommy Hamm said.

County officials said last year’s increase was necessary to meet the county’s financial obstacles, like the increased minimum wage, higher utility costs, and the loss of revenue from the state’s expanding sales tax holidays.

“Millage, you know, 20 years ago was higher than it is today. So we kept the millage flat, which means taxes have not the rate has not changed from last year. So over the last ten well it’s been 11 years now. We’ve only raised taxes once. 11 years,” Hamm said.

Bay County’s general fund millage rate will stay flat at a little more than 5.5 mils. A mill is $1 for every $1,000 in property value.

So, if you own a vacant lot worth $100,000, your property taxes will be around $540. Hamm said Bay County’s millage rate is the 12th lowest of Florida’s 67 counties.

He believes an uncertain economy demands keeping a lid on taxes.

“You know we’re are in incredible times with monetary inflation and we really don’t have any choice about that here. You know we don’t we can’t front of money like the federal government can so you know, we have to have a balanced budget every year and that’s what we’ve done,” Hamm said.

If this budget passes, it will be a $650 million spending plan. Commissioners will hold another public hearing on September 17th, when they’re expected to pass the final budget. It goes into effect on October 1st.

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