Ocoee adopts 4.95-mill tax rate and approves FY2025-26 final budget

The City Commission of Ocoee approved a final millage rate of 4.95 mills and adopted the city's final budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025, and ending Sept. 30, 2026, during a final budget public hearing.

The assistant director of finance said there were no changes to the proposed budgets since the commission's first budget hearing the prior week and that the proposed millage rate of 4.95 mills represents a 5.55% increase over the rollback rate of 4.6898 mills. "We truly appreciate your commitment to ensuring a responsible and balanced financial plan for our community," the Assistant Director of Finance said.

The millage action and the budget were presented by the city attorney as ordinances. The city attorney summarized Ordinance No. 2025-19 as establishing a final millage rate of 4.95 mills for ad valorem taxes for Ocoee for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025, and ending Sept. 30, 2026; the title also states the ordinance "provid[es] for millage adjustment, providing for collection of taxes, providing for a 5.55 increase in millage rate over the rollback rate, providing for severability, and providing an effective date." The commission opened a public hearing on the millage; the transcript records the hearing being opened and then closed with no public testimony recorded in the transcript.

Commissioner Kennedy moved to adopt Ordinance No. 2025-19 setting the final millage at 4.95 mills; Commissioner Wirthurst seconded. The motion carried. The city attorney then read the title of Ordinance No. 2025-20, an ordinance adopting the final budget for the same fiscal year. The commission opened and closed the public hearing on the final budget; the transcript contains no recorded public comments. Commissioner Oliver moved to adopt Ordinance No. 2025-20, and Commissioner Wilson seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

The assistant director of finance told the commission that the additional revenue generated by the adopted millage would be used to fund both operational and capital needs to balance the budget. The ordinances' titles note that they provide for an effective date, but the transcript does not state the specific effective dates.

Votes at a glance: Ordinance No. 2025-19 (final millage 4.95 mills) ' Motion: adopt final millage; Mover: Commissioner Kennedy; Second: Commissioner Wirthurst; Outcome: approved (motion carried; no roll call tally recorded in the transcript). Ordinance No. 2025-20 (final budget FY2025-26) ' Motion: adopt final budget; Mover: Commissioner Oliver; Second: Commissioner Wilson; Outcome: approved (motion carried unanimously as recorded).