Daytona Beach Shores adopts 4.588 millage rate and $97.45 million budget

Daytona Beach Shores’ City Commission adopted a final operating millage rate of 4.588 mills per $1,000 of assessed value and approved a $97,447,400 fiscal year 2025–26 budget during a public hearing Tuesday evening.

The action, taken after a staff presentation and no public comments, sets a rate that city Finance Director Lori Erwin said is the same rate the city has used for the past three years and is higher than the rollback rate of 4.4529 mills. “The proposed final millage rate of 4.588 mils per thousand of assessed value,” Erwin said during the hearing, noting that the difference represents a 3.03% increase over the rollback figure.

Why it matters: the millage and budget together determine local property tax bills and spending priorities for the coming year. Erwin told commissioners the decision will keep Daytona Beach Shores in the bottom 25% of Volusia County millage rates and estimated a monthly tax increase of $4.31 for a single-family home and $3.36 for a condominium over last year’s bills.

The budget adopted by the commission totals $97,447,400. Erwin described the number as driven in part by a large increase in enterprise (sewer) spending tied to capital projects. She reported the enterprise fund increase from roughly $23 million last year to about $43.7 million this year and identified the sewer capital fund at $24,749,700. The adopted general fund totals $24,280,300 and, Erwin said, includes $100,000 for an Economic Development Fund.

Commission procedures: the city attorney read each resolution into the record, the finance director reviewed millage history and budget highlights, the commission opened the public hearing and received no speakers, and the commission then moved and seconded adoption motions. The record shows both resolutions passed unanimously, 5–0.

What to watch next: Erwin said the city will hold a public hearing on utility rates Oct. 7 for sewer, solid waste and recycling adjustments tied to service-provider increases and inflation-based adjustments. She also noted the city is planning capital projects over a five‑year horizon and is pursuing grant funding for some of those projects, and that tax bills will be mailed Nov. 1 with deadlines for various early-payment discounts.

Commissioners and staff emphasized the budget has been reviewed in multiple workshops and hearings prior to final adoption. “We’ve gone through that questioning process through the workshop and through the prior opportunities that we’ve had to interact with Director Erwin,” Commissioner McDonough said during the meeting, noting the presentations and workshops preceded final action.