- February 8, 2025
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The city has formally adopted the proposed millage rate of 4.2843 mils — raising taxes by 6.2% above the rollback rate, or last year’s millage rate, of 4.0343 mils.
In the first budget hearing during the City Commission meeting on July 25, Commissioner Rob Littleton voiced his disagreement with raising taxes for the citizens of Ormond Beach. He did the same during the second hearing.
“I’m really trying to give the citizens of Ormond Beach a break in some way,” Littleton said.
Once again, he said he was against raising the millage rate due to the increase of water and wastewater fees, water impact fees and leisure services fees. Littleton suggested the commissioners direct staff to show them what services they can provide this year with the rollback rate and compare it to the services they will be able to provide with the new raised rate.
Littleton stood alone on his position, with the rest of the commissioners and the mayor voting to adopt the raised millage rate.
Commissioner Troy Kent countered Littleton by saying Ormond Beach has the third lowest millage rate out of the 16 municipalities in Volusia County.
“You get a lot of bang for your buck in Ormond Beach,” Kent said. “When you leave Ormond Beach and you head into another community, you feel it. You know it.”
Commissioner Rick Boehm brought up the Save Our Homes amendment, which only allows taxes to be raised by 3% to those who qualify for a Homestead Exemption. He also said people need to compare the millage rate in Ormond Beach to other cities whose increases from the rollback rate are much higher than 6.2%.
“We’re way under what these other cities are doing and we’re providing, in my opinion, greater service,” Boehm said.
Another point that was brought up during the hearing had to do with increased cost of living. Commissioner Dwight Selby said everyone needs more money every year — this translates to a city level as well.
“It actually would be essentially, I think, impossible to operate a city at rollback,” Selby said.
Partington said the budget was “scoured, developed and unanimously approved” by the city’s budget advisory board, which is comprised of five local bankers, accountants and businessmen and women.
Aside from the millage rate, the city commissioners also unanimously approved a tentative budget of $93,776,390 for the 2017-2018 fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.
The City Commission also recognized three Ormond Beach elementary schools for receiving an “A” grade for the 2016-2017 school year.
The principals from Tomoka Elementary, Ormond Beach Elementary and Pine Trail Elementary, along with a few students and other faculty, attended the City Commission meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 5, where they received a plaque from Mayor Bill Partington for their efforts.
“Whereas for the second year, schools were being graded under new, stricter grading criteria, measuring learning gains towards grade level performance, students and faculty at the aforementioned elementary schools strive for success with diligence, determination and dedication, ultimately achieving letter grades which reflected their passion for education and commitment to excellence,” Partington said, reading the declaration for the plaques.
The schools recognized make up three of the eight “A” rated elementary schools in Volusia County for the 2016-2017 school year.
“We’re very proud of that and that serves [to show] the quality in education and the experience that is being provided by these schools to our city’s children,” Partington said.
