The Jacksonville City Council is likely to accept the property tax millage rate in Mayor Donna Deegan’s proposed 2023-24 city budget, holding it steady for the next year.
The flat rate advances a year after Council lowered the millage rate by 1/8-mill, the first drop since 2007, as part of Mayor Lenny Curry’s final city budget.
Council voted 18-0 on July 25 to approve Ordinance 2023-500, which will advertise the proposed millage rate of 11.3169 mills, or $11.3169 for every $1,000 of assessed taxable value on a property.
Although that’s the same rate as in last year’s city budget, a property owner could see an increase in their overall bill because of rising property values.
A homeowner with property that has a $200,000 taxable value and qualifies for Florida’s full $50,000 homestead property tax exemption would pay about $1,697.50 in city property tax.
The “Save our Homes” amendment to the Florida Constitution that took effect in 1995 will hold any increase to the assessed value of homestead properties to 3%, limiting an increase created by fast-rising home values.
The proposed rate for Jacksonville’s Beaches is 8.0262 mills, or $8.0262 per every $1,000 of assessed taxable value.
In Baldwin, Council and the mayor have proposed a rate at 9.526 mills, or $9.526 per every $1,000 of assessed taxable value.
Council could vote to lower the millage rate as part of its budget hearings.
But Council was under a deadline imposed by state statute to notify the Duval County Property Appraiser by Aug. 4 of the millage rate, the rollback rate and the millage public hearing date.
The Florida Department of Revenue defines the rollback rate as “generally the amount of property taxes the property owner would owe if there were no change to the taxing authority’s budget.”
The rollback rates are 10.3455 mills, or $10.3467 per every $1,000 of assessed taxable value; 7.3341 mills for Jacksonville’s Beaches; and 8.3882 mills for Baldwin.
The property appraiser will send out a notice to Duval County property owners stating the proposed rates.
The public hearing has been scheduled Sept. 12 during the Council’s regular meeting.
According to Deegan’s proposed $1.75 billion budget and $406 million Capital Improvement Plan, rising property values and leaving the millage rate flat will generate about $135.4 million more in ad valorem property taxes than in fiscal year 2022-23.
The bump to the city coffers is coming as Deegan and Council may determine how to fund several large expenses.
The Deegan administration says it will begin negotiations in August with the Jacksonville Jaguars and team owner Shad Khan on what could be an $800 million to $1 billion public contribution to the team’s proposed stadium renovation and adjacent mixed-use neighborhood.
The mayor has also promised to finish the $484 million, 30-mile Emerald Trail project; aging septic tank removal; and Downtown and neighborhood infrastructure improvements.