The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) confirmed its millage rate for the next fiscal year on Tuesday.
The general millage rate will drop from 7.7662 mills to 7.6414 mills while the law enforcement rate will stay even at 3.5678 mills. These rates will generate more money for the county than last year because of increased assessed values and growth, with the respective rates sitting 7.51% and 8.19% above the rollback rate.
The county will generate about $17.8 million more revenue through the taxes because of the increase over the rollback rate, and the BOCC approved its $757 million budget on Tuesday to accompany the tax changes.
The budget includes $206 million for public safety (sheriff, jail operations, fire/rescue, and diversion programs), $33.2 million from Wild Spaces Public Places and $12.8 million in dedicated housing initiatives.
The budget also includes $20 million for road projects as the county more than triples its road budget to keep up with pavement conditions.
The drop in millage rate marks the seventh straight year the BOCC has lowered the rate. Last year, the commission lowered the rate from 7.8662 to 7.7662, resulting in an additional 7% in revenue during the current fiscal year.
On Monday, three Alachua County cities also ratified their millage rates. Newberry voted to decrease its millage rate from 5.9244 mills to 5.9 mills, High Springs voted to increase its millage from 5.99 mills to 6.99 mills, and the city of Alachua voted to increase its millage from 5.39 mills to 5.95 mills.
Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to note the BOCC lowered the millage rate 2022.