Neptune Beach sets tentative millage at 3.3656; council votes to keep rate unchanged

Neptune Beach City Council on July 1 voted to set the city’s tentative millage rate at 3.3656, keeping the rate unchanged from the prior year. City finance staff said the unchanged rate is expected to generate an additional $396,000 and bring total budgeted revenue to about $4,600,000.

Michael from the city’s finance office told the council, "we are keeping the millage rate the same at 3.3656," and confirmed the $396,000 figure as the additional revenue tied to that rate. He said the tentative rate must be set now to meet the property appraiser’s deadline and that the council will return to its normal budget workshop cycle ahead of final adoption.

Councilor Livingston pressed for more public discussion, saying, "I'm a little disappointed that this meeting is a special meeting," and urged the council to add the item to a regular meeting schedule in future years so full deliberation is possible. City staff acknowledged the scheduling oversight and said similar special-meeting steps had occurred previously, characterizing the action as part of the standard timeline required to meet statutory filing dates.

A council member moved to approve keeping the millage rate the same; another member seconded. The council recorded votes of "yes" from Councilor Livingston, Vice Mayor Chin and the mayor; Councilor T. and Councilor Messenger were absent. The motion passed and the mayor adjourned the meeting.

City staff said the tentative rate will be part of the budget workshops this summer, with a final budget adoption expected in September. The tentative rate adopted on July 1 only establishes the preliminary tax rate for the property appraiser’s filing and does not finalize the budget.