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Lake City council sets tentative millage at 4.9 mills and approves tentative $86.8 million budget
Summary
The council approved a tentative millage rate of 4.9 mills and a tentative FY2025–26 budget of $86,756,748, with staff saying final amendments can be made before the final hearing.
The Lake City Council on Sept. 3 adopted a tentative millage rate of 4.9 mills for fiscal year 2025–26 and approved a tentative budget totaling $86,756,748 in revenues and expenditures. The tentative millage represents a 4.62% increase over the rollback rate the finance director provided. The council approved the tentative millage and the tentative budget after public comment and council discussion.
During the public hearing, residents urged the council to use the rollback rate and expressed concerns about property-value-driven increases in tax bills. Several speakers said rising assessments and fees hit seniors and renters particularly hard. Council members said the city’s current low millage rate (noted in staff comments as 4.9 mills since 2016) constrains revenues, and the city manager and finance staff described the council’s ability to make final amendments before the final hearing.
Staff outlined major grant-funded items in the budget. The city’s airport construction fund showed approximately $1.5 million for three airport projects (hangar design and construction, North Hangar taxiway, and taxiway pipe repairs); the water and sewer fund showed about $7.4 million in grant funding for projects including the Ichetucknee Springs quality/quantity project and wetland recharge work. Staff summarized total budgeted grant funding as about $88.9 million (staff figure presented during the hearing) and said final adjustments could be made at the final hearing.
The council adopted Resolution 2025‑116 to set the tentative millage and adopted Resolution 2025‑117 for the tentative budget; both were approved by recorded roll call votes. Staff noted that the final budget hearing will be the opportunity to incorporate any changes, including transfers from contingency to cover items such as additional firefighter staffing if the council so directs.
The council also discussed the timing of possible state-level property-tax changes and county coordination on services, and several members recommended pursuing discussions with Columbia County about possible service consolidation or joint agreements to share costs for services such as fire protection.
The tentative budget and millage adoption begin the statutorily required clock for final hearings and public notices; staff will post the final hearing date and prepare the final budget document for the council’s final vote.
