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Tax collector outlines fee‑funded operations, returns average $3.3M excess to county
Summary
Seminole County Tax Collector J.R. Cole presented a FY2025–26 operating budget process that is fee‑funded under Florida law, described DMV operations as a loss‑leader subsidized by county funds, and said his office typically returns several million dollars of excess fees annually to the county and other taxing authorities.
Tax Collector J.R. Cole presented an overview of his office’s budget and operations, emphasizing that the tax collector’s budget is fee‑funded under Florida law and that his office’s DMV work is generally run at a loss and subsidized by the tax collection function.
Cole told the board that the tax collector has two primary functions: collecting property taxes and operating the DMV offices under state fee schedules. He said the agency’s annual operating budget is typically about $13 million, set under a statute driven process in which the Florida Department of Revenue reviews and approves the office’s budget; the tax collector said the budget filing deadline is Aug. 1.
Cole said the DMV side requires staffing in multiple offices and that statewide fee levels are set by the Florida Legislature, so the tax collector has “very little determination” over those revenues. He said Seminole County’s tax base has grown in recent years — he cited taxable‑value increases since 2020 — and that the office has historically operated under budget, producing excess fees that are returned to Seminole County and partner taxing authorities.
On excess revenue, Cole said the office’s average excess fees returned to local taxing authorities have been about $3.3 million annually, with past one‑year amounts ranging from roughly $3 million to $4.4 million. He said the office’s audited budget and final excess‑fee calculations are completed by August each year, and any excess is distributed to the county and other taxing entities as required by statute.
Commissioners asked for clarifications on the figures cited and on real‑ID compliance. Cole said about 99% of Seminole County residents who needed to comply with Real ID requirements have done so; he also noted that the office submits its budget to the state Department of Revenue for approval and that once approved the state must authorize any reductions or increases.
What’s next: The tax collector will finalize his budget filings to the Florida Department of Revenue by the Aug. 1 statutory deadline; commissioners asked staff to keep them apprised when the office’s audited figures and any final excess revenue amounts are available.
