- April 16, 2024
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The rate is about .7 mills higher than last year’s. But for many, taxes will fall.
County Administrator Craig Coffey presented a tentative millage rate for the upcoming fiscal year of 6.2232 to the Flagler County Board of County Commissioners Monday, July 25, at a budget session.
Compared to last year, that’s an increase of about 70 cents per every $1,000 of taxable property value. But for many residents, the new rate could mean lower taxes.
In about five years, property value in Flagler County has dropped from about $13 billion to about $6 billion, Coffey said, in an interview July 22. General fund revenues have plummeted, as well, dipping from roughly $48 million to $38 million in the same span.
“We’re hurting all around, revenuewise,” he said.
However, in that timeframe, taxes have been reduced by $9.5 million — including a $1.5 million reduction this year.
Commissioner Barbara Revels praised staff for its ability to weather the economic storm relatively unscathed.
“I have to give credit to our administration and employees who have found ways to keep the county fully functional with nearly a $10 million loss of revenue over the years,” she said in an email.
Staff has been able to withstand the shortfall by working smarter, according to Coffey.
“We’ve been dealing with less and less money, but we’ve been operating more efficiently,” he said. “It’s easy to close a service. It’s tough to figure out a different solution.”
Some past solutions have been to privatize services, secure further grant funding, readjust employee benefits and reduce payroll.
According to Revels, there is more in the budget that can be trimmed, but none of it is “fat.”
Future savings could come from reducing capital projects — not replacing roofs, equipment or utilities as often — and contributing less to healthcare and emergency reserves. But the cuts take their toll.
“We also have a continued strain of a workforce that has not only not seen any pay increases for quite some time, but have a much lower take-home pay due to increases in healthcare contributions and pension contributions,” she said.
If that trend doesn’t reverse, she added, government will begin to lose quality employees to the private sector.
Staff’s proposed millage is as high as the rate will go. It could be lowered.
Last year, Coffey said Flagler’s millage rate was the 16th or 17th lowest in all of Florida’s 67 counties.
A final rate must be set before Aug. 4.
