Commission approves massive 18% tax hike

By John Labriola - As residents continue to wrestle with high inflation, the Citrus County Commission last week approved a 17.8 percent increase in county property taxes.  

The vote was 3-2, with Commissioners Holly Davis, Ruthie Schlabach and Rebecca Bays supporting the massive tax hike and Commissioners Diana Finegan and Jeff Kinnard opposing it.

The $412 million budget for 2023-24 includes more money for road resurfacing, fully funding the sheriff's requested budget, and bringing minimum-wage-earning county employees up to the voter-approved $15 minimum faster than state law requires. 

In voting no, Finegan said she agreed "taking care of staff" is important but that county employees' needs should be balanced with those of the taxpayers. 

The total tax rate adopted is $8.9302 per $1,000 of taxable value, up from last year's $8.2458 per $1,000. Because property values also rose significantly, that amounts to a nearly 18 percent increase in the county portion of homeowners' tax bills over last year. 

The owner of a home currently valued at $300,000 who takes the standard $50,000 homestead exemption will pay $2,232.55 in county property taxes under the new budget.

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