Daytona Beach approves 5.93 millage rate and $379.8 million tentative budget

Daytona Beach — The Daytona Beach City Commission voted 7-0 on Sept. 3 to tentatively set the city's ad valorem millage rate at 5.93 per $1,000 of nonexempt assessed value and to tentatively adopt the fiscal year 2025-26 budget. The commission also approved a voted debt-service millage of 0.1395.

The vote came after public comment from residents who opposed the increase. Resident David Nadler told the commission, “We oppose the increase in taxes this year and the tax rate of 5.93,” and asked commissioners to hold the rate at 5.6962 because he said property values in his neighborhood were declining. Another longtime resident, John Nicholson, noted historical swings in millage and urged caution: “When I first looked at the budget, it was $99,000,000 and 6.9 mills,” he said, warning against returning to higher past rates.

Why it matters: The tentative budget totals $379,813,363 in revenues and expenditures, according to the resolution presented to the commission. The city manager summarized operating and capital breakdowns included in the proposal: operating expenditures of about $303,122,000, transfers of approximately $63,889,400, and capital expenditures of $12,801,787. The tentative millage and budget will be subject to final adoption after public hearings and statutory notice requirements.

Most important facts: Commissioners moved and seconded the resolutions to tentatively set the millage rate and to tentatively adopt the budget. Both motions passed 7-0. The budget packet presented to the commission lists revenues and expenditures in the amounts stated above; those figures were read into the record during the public hearing.

Supporting details and context: During the public hearing the city manager noted the resolutions constitute the required tentative actions to fix the millage and adopt a tentative budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025. Several speakers during the public comment period expressed concern that some neighborhoods feel underserved even as development and commercial activity expand in other parts of the city. Commissioners did not amend the proposed millage at the Sept. 3 meeting.

Next steps: The tentative millage and budget actions set the schedule for statutorily required notices and final public hearings. The commission may revise the budget or millage rate before final adoption; dates for those hearings will appear in the formal public notices and the next commission agenda.