HAVANA, Fla. (WTXL) — Havana leaders have approved a $15.2 million budget that includes a slight property tax increase, a change some homeowners say they’re still uneasy about.
- Havana leaders approved a $15.2 million budget, making the town’s millage rate at 3.0 instead of lowering it to the rollback rate.
- Town Manager Kendrah Wilkerson says the extra $8,000 in property tax revenue will help fund police operations, utility upgrades, and park improvements.
- Some residents are frustrated by rising taxes, watch the video to hear what they had to say and how town leaders are responding.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Havana's new budget is official, and it comes with a slight property tax increase for homeowners. I'm Tatyana Purifoy, your Havana neighborhood reporter, and while the extra cost may only be a few dollars a year, some residents say even small increases add up.
Havana leaders have approved a $15.2 million budget, keeping the town's millage rate at 3.0 rather than lowering it to the rollback rate.
The change will bring in about $8,000 more in property tax revenue money Town Manager Kendrah Wilkerson says will help fund essential services and improvements.
"We've got a lot of aging infrastructure. We have a lot of needs with the police department. We have a lot of stuff going on in the parks. We're trying to make Havana be as good as it can be and improve the quality of life. For us it was important to hold at the current millage versus do the rollback rate so that we could continue to invest in the community," said Town Manager Kendrah Wilkerson.
Wilkerson says the change means a small increase for homeowners about $17 more a year on a home worth $250,000.
Wilkerson says much of that money will support police operations, utility upgrades, and repairs at the wastewater treatment plant. Along with park improvements the town is planning.
But some residents say they're still struggling to understand why their taxes keep rising.
One neighbor who didn’t want to be on camera said, "I am angry about the taxes. My husband has owned our property since 2010, and our taxes have gone from under $300 to over $2,000. I don't even know what I'm getting for that."
Wilkerson says she understands the frustration, adding that Havana still has one of the lowest municipal tax rates in Gadsden County, and that the increase helps keep services running safely and reliably.
Even with the small increase, town leaders say Havana's tax rate is still one of the lowest in the county and they believe the extra dollars will help keep the community strong.
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