The Town of Oakland contracts with Orange County Fire Rescue for fire rescue and prevention services. On July 12, 2024, Orange County Fire Rescue informed the Town that the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to support a tentative increase in the Fire Municipal Service Taxing Unit rate. The current rate of 2.2437 mills may increase by 0.6, bringing it to 2.8437 for the FY 2024-25 budget.
This year's fire services cost the Town $1,543,584, the new proposed cost for FY 2024-25 is $2,065,081, an increase of $521,497. The Town’s current millage rate of 6.3 can handle gradual cost increases, but not this large of an increase in one year. If the rate hike is approved, the Town may need to raise its millage rate to 6.9.
The Oakland Town Commission will discuss the tentative millage increase at the regular Town Commission Meeting on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. in the Oakland Meeting Hall.
Public hearings by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners to finalize the fire services rate for FY 2024-25 are set for:
- September 5, 2024, at 5:01 PM
- September 19, 2024, at 5:01 PM
From the Orlando Sentinel:
Orange raises tax for fire department, emergency services for first time in 17 years
Tax hike will pay for 163 more firefighters and four new fire stations
Stephen Hudak
July 11, 2024
Orange County commissioners concluded two days of budget hearings Thursday with a vote to increase the Fire & EMS property tax to pay for 163 more firefighters and four new fire stations, costs that could have drained financial reserves.
The tax increase, the first in 17 years, will add an estimated $150 per $250,000 of taxable value for single-family homes – and much more for commercial buildings – bringing in about $69.1 million in extra revenue based on appraised property values as of Jan. 1.
It will be billed only to owners of structures outside city limits since their properties are the only ones served by county fire services.
“It is extremely difficult to get politicians to vote for some kind of tax increase,” Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said. “But I sense this board understood we were potentially putting at risk the ability of our Fire Rescue Department to operate effectively and take care of the people of Orange County.”
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