The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) finalized its property tax rate and budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year on Tuesday, and the county also discussed the management of two inns that it will operate for permanent supportive housing.
The budget documents mirrored those from the preliminary vote two weeks ago, and with unanimous approval, the general fund millage rate will fall from 7.6180 mills to 7.600 mills. But the rate, paid by all county residents, will be classified as a tax increase because it is 6.3% above the rolled-back rate, meaning the county will collect more in taxes despite a lower millage rate.
The Municipal Service Taxing Unit (MSTU) Law Enforcement millage rate will stay the same at 3.5678 mills. This rate is paid by all residents of unincorporated Alachua County and cities that adopt the rate for using sheriff services.
For a home with an assessed value of $150,000 (and no exemptions), the combined millage rates will cost $1,675.17 in county property taxes.
The general fund budget sits at $323 million in addition to the $34 million from the MSTU Law Enforcement tax. The total county budget is $946 million.
Alachua County inns
The BOCC purchased the old Budget Inn and Scottish Inn over the past two years to turn them into permanent housing units for residents in need. The county also purchased the Sunrise Residence Inn from St. Francis House last year.
In the backup documents, the county commission voted to rename the Scottish Inn to Forest Edge and the Budget Inn to East Tumblin Creek. The commissioners also agreed to enter a contract with Alachua County Housing Authority to manage the two inns.
The contract includes a management fee of 12-13% of the effective gross income for each operating month. The housing authority can also ask the county to reimburse reasonable costs and expenses that the fee fails to cover.
That fee will pay for an on-site manager and maintenance person used by the housing authority for other sites as well. The authority will keep up to $50,000 of the fee for operations and anything above that will return to the county for a capital improvement fund for the motels.
The Scottish Inn will be ready for occupants by early November, and the Budget Inn could be finished in January.
Alachua County brags about lowering the millage rate from 7.6180 to 7.600 — big deal. We’re STILL stuck with the 2nd highest property taxes in Florida. Yet they blow $2 million on AI spy cameras in county trucks and millions more on homeless hotels that are over budget and not even open. Meanwhile, teachers get ignored, potholes get deeper, and core services rot. Priorities? Not for these so-called leaders.