Holmes County sets tentative millage at 9.4916 mills after heated public hearing

The Holmes County Board of County Commissioners adopted a tentative operating millage rate of 9.4916 mills and approved a tentative budget for fiscal year 2025–2026 at a public hearing in September 2025.

The board read and adopted Resolution 25-24, “establishing the tentative millage at 9.4916,” and Resolution 25-25, adopting the tentative budget for fiscal year 2025–2026. The board set the tentative millage after a motion to return the rate to 9.4916 mills passed during the hearing; the meeting transcript records the board reporting a 3-1 vote to bring the millage back to 9.49 (the transcript does not record full roll-call names for that vote).

The hearing drew several public speakers who urged the board not to increase property taxes. Robert Powells, introduced from the public comment line, addressed the board at the hearing: “I stand here today to behemothly protest and imposed to increase property taxes on the people of Holmes County.” Residents also described financial strain and questioned county purchases and staffing decisions. Taylor Russ urged the board to require a county office to first demonstrate operational efficiencies before asking taxpayers to cover shortfalls: “Any request for taxpayer dollars should only come after [the office] is operating efficiently and responsible for this process for this existing resources.”

Board members described the budget committee’s work and the pressures pushing the tentative rate above last year’s rollback rate of 8.6336 mills. A staff presentation listed revenue declines and rising costs — including lower sales tax receipts, a smaller-than-expected increase in local gas-tax revenue, higher retirement and health-insurance costs, increases in property and liability insurance, and higher costs associated with state-required behavioral-health commitments. The budget committee initially balanced the budget at 9.75 mills before the board voted to set the tentative rate at 9.4916 mills.

Board members discussed alternatives the committee evaluated. One commissioner proposed temporarily moving $1,827,786 from the general fund’s transfer to the transportation trust back into general revenue — drawing on a reported LOGT (local option gas tax) surplus the board discussed — to reduce millage pressure. The budget committee reported a number of proposed cuts, from eliminating overtime and certain promotions to reducing contributions to outside organizations and trimming operating supplies; the committee chair emphasized that further cuts could begin to harm county operations.

County staff and at least one commissioner noted constraints created by constitutional officers’ budgets. The transcript records discussion of the tax collector’s (Harry Bell) fees and staffing, with board members saying the tax collector’s office, as a constitutional office, may seek direct review by the Florida Department of Revenue if the board reduces that office’s allocation. Board staff said they would ask constitutionally elected officials to “sharpen their pencils” and return with final numbers before the final-budget hearing.

The board also announced scheduling for the final public hearing on the budget. The transcript records the board setting the final-budget hearing for Monday, Sept. 22 (the hearing materials offered two dates and the board selected Sept. 22), and asked staff to return with any changes for final consideration.

Votes at a glance: Resolution 25-24 (tentative millage 9.4916 mills) — adopted (transcript reports a 3-1 vote; individual roll-call names were not recorded in the transcript excerpt). Resolution 25-25 (tentative budget FY2025–2026) — adopted (roll-call not specified in the transcript excerpt).