- The Gainesville City Commission plans to keep the property tax millage rate steady at 6.7297 mills, generating $81.5 million revenue due to higher property values.
- The proposed fire assessment could increase from $12.6 million to $20.7 million if the commission approves raising it to cover 85% of recoverable costs.
- The city's general fund budget will be $174 million, with major allocations to fire, police, IT, and a 9% increase over two years.
The Gainesville City Commission will vote Thursday on a package of budget items ahead of the new fiscal year, with the millage rate, fire assessment, stormwater fees, garbage fees and tentative budget on the agenda.
The Thursday special meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. and follow the 1 p.m. General Policy Committee. The budget items will need two successful votes to finalize, so the commissioner will see the items again in two weeks.
You can find the full agenda on the city of Gainesville website.
Property taxes (millage rate)
The City Commission looks to hold steady at a 6.7297 millage rate for its property tax (also known as the ad valorem tax). Keeping the same millage rate will result in approximately $81.5 million in property tax revenue based on a 96% collection rate.
Even though the millage rate would stay the same as the current fiscal year, Gainesville would collect $4.1 million more because of increasing property values.
In July, the commissioners voted to set the current millage rate as the not-to-exceed number in the TRIM notices sent to property owners. Because of that action, the city cannot raise the millage rate without reissuing the notice—and there’s little time left in the budget season.
Gainesville’s city manager also recommends keeping the flat millage, though the commission could vote to lower it without any additional notice or steps.
What’s the cost to homeowners for property tax?
- Proposed millage rate: 6.7297 mills
- Average property value increase from 2025: 6.34%
- $100,000 in assessed property value = $672.97 in city property taxes
- $100,000 in assessed property value = $34.58 more than rolled-back rate
- Rolled-back rate is the millage rate needed for the city to collect the same taxes as the current fiscal year
- Not all properties see the same increase over the rolled-back rate; it depends on how your property changed in value
- Change in property values set by Alachua County Property Appraiser and available at their website: Alachua County Property Appraiser
Fire assessment
Although the City Commission has tried to keep the millage rate flat, the fire assessment could rise sharply if commissioners approve it Thursday and again in a final vote later this month.
In July, the commission voted to raise the amount the fire assessment could collect. Previously, the assessment could cover up to 53% of Gainesville Fire Rescue’s state-set maximum recoverable costs for fire services, excluding medical services.
Thursday’s agenda sets the proposed fire assessment at 85% of the recoverable cost. If approved, the higher cap would bring in about $8 million more than this year’s assessment, increasing revenue from $12.6 million to $20.7 million.
If the same increase were collected through property taxes, it would equal a 0.65-mill increase.
What’s the cost for property owners for fire assessment?
- Single-Family Residential: $0.1444 per square foot
- Multi-Family Residential: $0.1430 per square foot
- Commercial: $0.1901 per square foot
- Industrial/Warehouse: $0.1418 per square foot
- Institutional: $0.3635 per square foot
Solid waste (garbage) fees
The city of Gainesville aims to recover the cost of hiring GFL Environmental to provide residential garbage pickup.
The fee is moving from monthly utility bills to an annual charge on property tax bills. In total, the solid waste fees are expected to collect about $12.3 million.
The shift to annual billing will cost homeowners more because Gainesville must cover additional expenses from routing the service through the tax collector instead of Gainesville Regional Utilities.
What’s the annual cost for garbage pickup?
- 20-gallon cart = $368.18
- 35-gallon cart = $391.58
- 64-gallon cart = $436.81
- 96-gallon cart = $486.73
- Residents can change cart sizes here: Gainesville Garbage Collection
Stormwater assessment
Like the garbage fee, the stormwater assessment is moving from monthly utility bills to the annual property tax.
For single-family homes, duplexes and mobile homes, the stormwater methodology will stay a flat rate per unit but will increase by $12 due to a general rate increase as the city switches to property tax billing.
For apartments, condos and mobile home parks, the city voted in May to switch the methodology from a flat rate per unit to a rate per square foot of impervious area—roadways, pavers, basketball courts, clubhouses, etc. It’s the same methodology currently used for non-residential (or commercial) properties, along with RV parks.
That methodology change means apartments and condos could see jumps or declines in their stormwater assessment depending on the property and its amenities.
Learn more from our May coverage: Gainesville to set new billing process without GRU
Gainesville’s general fund budget
The City Commission will consider a $174 million general fund budget on Thursday, paying for fire, police, public works, planning, IT and more.
Primary revenues for general fund:
- Property taxes: $81.5 million
- Fire assessment: $20.7 million
- Other taxes: $22.4 million
- Intergovernmental: $21.2 million
- Government services contribution from GRU: $7.1 million
- Miscellaneous revenues: $3.8 million
- Charges for services: $15.3 million
- Fines and forfeitures: $1.3 million
The general fund budget has increased by $15.6 million in the last two years, approximately 9%. In fiscal year 2021, the general fund totaled $146 million.
The Gainesville Police Department would receive nearly $2.8 million more in the upcoming budget, followed by a nearly $2.3 million increase for Gainesville Fire Rescue. The city’s technology budget would also rise, growing from $8.4 million at the start of the current fiscal year on Oct. 1, 2025, to a projected $11.1 million as Gainesville builds out its IT department.