St. Johns County trims budget and taxes further

St. Johns County was already aiming to reduce the amount that people’s property taxes will increase next year, but the County Commission reduced its proposed tax rate a little more this week.

During the first of the two budget meetings the County Commission must hold, the board agreed to slash its budget by $3.6 million.

That cut will come from the county’s general fund budget — the portion of the county’s nearly $2 billion budget that covers the costs for public safety and the government’s core operations.

According to County Administrator Joy Andrews, the $3.6 million reduction will come from a pot of money designed to pay for projects the county wants to build but has not yet allocated funds for. The top two priorities on that list, Andrews says, are a new boat ramp along the San Sebastian River and an expansion to the Sheriff’s Office’s tactical training facility.

Reducing the budget is part of an effort by county commissioners to reduce the millage rate, or the tax rate that property owners pay per $1,000 of their property value.

Article continues below

More from Jax Today

Proposed Jacksonville tax cut nears a reckoning point

Concerns mount over Florida’s vaccine plan

E-bike injuries doubled in a year — and they’re still rising

Jacksonville Today thanks our sponsors. Become one.

In July, the County Commission approved a tentative general fund millage rate of 4.5650 mills for the 2025-26 fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1. At the time, the three members of the board who voted in favor of that rate — Sarah Arnold, Clay Murphy and Christian Whitehurst — signaled their intent to lower the rate further.

For context, someone living in St. Johns County with a home worth $400,000 — and without any property tax exemptions that many residents are eligible for — would see about a $27 difference on their tax bill based on what the County Commission approved Wednesday night, compared to what the board approved in July.

Compared with the previous year, that homeowner would get a reduction of about $60.

Although the vote on the budget cut was unanimous, County Commission Chair Krista Joseph said she still wants to see the millage rate lowered as much as possible. Any increase in taxes is not fair to people living on a fixed income, she said.

Others on the board, like Whitehurst, maintained that while the goal is to minimize the financial impact on property owners, the money for things like road, drainage and quality of life improvements has to come from somewhere. 

The County Commission will meet one more time before adopting its final budget and tax rate for next fiscal year. The final budget hearing is scheduled for 5:01 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16. 

That meeting will be held in the County Auditorium at 500 San Sebastian View in St. Augustine. The meeting will be broadcast live on the county’s website.