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Okaloosa commissioners set tentative FY26 millage, hold county rate at 3.8308 mills
Summary
The Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously July 22 to set the tentative property-tax millage for fiscal year 2026 at 3.8308 mills and to roll back the Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU) to 0.288 mills, opening the budget process for public hearings in September.
The Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners on July 22 set a tentative countywide property-tax rate of 3.8308 mills for fiscal year 2026 and reduced the MSTU rate to 0.288 mills, commissioners said after a budget workshop.
The action keeps the county general millage at the same rate it has held for nine years and reflects staff calculations of revenue, collection assumptions and the board’s direction on service priorities.
County staff said the proposed general-fund revenue tied to the 3.8308 mills would total about $117.8 million before a 95% collection assumption, leaving roughly $112 million budgeted for the general fund. The aggregate proposed millage, which includes the MSTU, was shown at 3.9663 mills in staff materials.
At the workshop, a staff presenter summarized the budget and explained the MSTU rollback proposal. After public comment and discussion, Commissioner Goodwin moved to adopt the recommended ad valorem and MSTU rates; Commissioner Palmer seconded the motion. The clerk recorded a unanimous vote in favor of the motion.
The board will hold statutorily required budget hearings in September to finalize and adopt the fiscal-year budget. Staff laid out a two‑meeting hearing schedule: Sept. 4 at Crestview (5:01 p.m.) and Sept. 16 at Shalimar (5:01 p.m.). Those hearings will include final millage decisions and public comment.
County staff emphasized the county’s overall fiscal position, noting recent bond market access and a triple‑A rating as reasons the county can maintain current millage while funding capital and operations across enterprise and general funds. The draft budget presented at the workshop showed a total across all funds of about $687 million.
Discussion-only items at the workshop included staff reminders that final revenue-sharing estimates from the state’s revenue estimating committee were still pending and that updated Florida Retirement System contribution numbers had been incorporated into the draft budget.
The board did not adopt a final budget during the July 22 meeting; the tentative millage setting starts the public‑hearing process required under state law.
