Residents urge rollback of proposed tax increase and press for budget transparency

Multiple Oak Hill residents used the public-comment period to press the commission to adopt the rollback millage and to criticize the city's budgeting and transparency.

Tom Pitts, who identified himself as the owner of Indian Mount Fish Camp, accused officials of a messy process: "This has been the sloppiest process I've ever seen in my entire life of a financial situation for the city of Oak Hill," he said, urging commissioners to "go with the rollback rate" and not to "punish the citizens." Douglas Gibson noted Oak Hill's comparatively high tax rate in Volusia County and warned that the pending Garden Street lawsuit could cost more than the attorney's $70,000 estimate. Angie Garber asked whether an earlier approved but incorrect budget affected last year's millage and argued that 2,100 residents should not be penalized for litigation affecting a smaller number of property owners.

Commissioners acknowledged the concerns and said staff would provide corrected reports and forecasts. The public comments helped prompt the commission to require staff to post profit-and-loss and budget-to-actual reports before the next meeting so residents can review them ahead of the hearings.