Gadsden County adopts 9-mill tax rate and $70.09 million budget amid public calls for rollback

The Gadsden County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 30 adopted a final millage rate of 9 mills and a $70,092,617 countywide budget for fiscal year 2025–26 after a public hearing in Quincy that drew multiple residents urging the board to adopt the lower rollback rate of 8.6383 mills.

The adoption came after more than an hour of public comment and discussion among commissioners and staff about department needs, rising costs for public safety and public works, and whether the county could absorb the revenue gap without raising the millage. Commissioner Eric Kenton signed the budget resolution presented to the board.

Why it matters: The millage rate and budget determine county property tax bills and how roughly $70.1 million in county revenue will be allocated across law enforcement, EMS, public works, human services and other county functions. Several residents and county employees told commissioners higher taxes are driving hardship for seniors and homeowners and urged either adoption of the rollback rate or targeted cuts in the budget.

Commission action and legal context The board held the required TRIM (Truth in Millage) hearings and reviewed notices certified by the county property appraiser before taking action. The board adopted a final countywide millage of 9 mills — described in staff materials as 4.19% above the rollback rate of 8.6383 mills —…