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Winter Garden sets tentative millage at 4.8565 mills; budget hearings set for Sept. 11 and 25
Summary
City Manager Larry Williams proposed and the commission approved a tentative millage rate of 4.8565 mils for FY2025–26; the tentative rate can be lowered at later hearings. Staff provided taxable-value and revenue projections and clarified the millage is separate from a proposed fire-assessment study.
The Winter Garden City Commission voted unanimously to set a tentative millage rate of 4.8565 mils for the fiscal year 2025–26 and scheduled two public budget hearings on Sept. 11 and Sept. 25, City Manager Larry Williams told the commission.
Williams said staff recommended the tentative rate to give the city flexibility during the budget process and reiterated that the commission can lower the rate at the September hearings. “It is our goal to bring this down even to the existing millage rate of 4.5,” Williams said.
Staff presented the city's revenue and valuation context: the city’s current gross taxable value is projected at $6,556,322,800, a 7.7% increase over the prior year; the computed rollback rate is 4.2012 mils. Williams said one mill of tax generates approximately $6,556,323 and that budgeting calculations use a 95% collection assumption.
Williams and commissioners clarified that the tentative millage notice is an administrative step required by the Truth in Millage timetable; the rate can be reduced at later public hearings but cannot be raised above the tentative rate without restarting the TRIM notice process. Staff also confirmed the tentative millage figure is separate from a proposed fire-assessment study being developed for possible adoption.
Resident Sarah Wolf asked whether the 4.8565 mils includes potential fire-assessment revenue; Williams answered no, the fire assessment would be considered separately.
Why it matters: Setting the tentative millage rate starts the statutorily required notification process and establishes the maximum ad valorem rate the commission may consider in the final budget. The commission may adopt a lower rate when it adopts the final budget after public hearings.
The motion to set the tentative millage rate at 4.8565 mils passed unanimously.
