Manatee County commissioners Sept. 14 unanimously voted to set a $2.2 billion budget.
The board of commissioners reduced the proposed tax rate by 0.20 mills to 6.3826 due “to another year of significant increases in local property values,” stated a Sept 17 county news release.
The 2020-21 millage rate was 6.4326 and the tentative millage rate proposed in June was at 6.5826.
While the county commission cut the proposed rate by 0.20 mills in the final vote, the new rate still represents a tax increase, as the rollback rate — the rate at which the county would collect the same amount of ad valorem revenue as this year — is 6.1917 mills.
The news release stated, “Under the current tax rate, rising values would have resulted in a $21 million increase in revenues over the current fiscal year. Instead, commissioners unanimously approved the 0.2 mill reduction, which returns $8.3 million to taxpayers.” It amounts to almost $13 million more than last year’s ad valorem collection.
The budget includes the largest five-year capital improvement plan in county history, spending $997 million on infrastructure, public safety, parks and our environment.
The budget also allocates $350.3 million for transportation projects, $80.3 million for parks and $39.1 million for public safety.
The adopted budget includes new positions, including 14 sheriff’s deputies, 14 posts in building and development services and 12 paramedics.
Island property tax bills include taxes for the city, the county, school district, Southwest Florida Water Management District, West Coast Inland Navigation District and mosquito control. The county portion of the tax bill typically is the largest amount.