OCALA, FL (352today.com) – On September 9, 2026, the Ocala City Council unanimously adopted the city’s tentative fiscal year 2026-27 budget and millage rates, locking in a $1.27 billion spending plan that staff said is needed to hire critical employees and cover rising salary, benefit, and operating costs.
The special meeting at City Hall was the first of two required Truth in Millage hearings. Budget Director Tammi Haslam told council the proposed citywide operating millage of 6.6177 mills is the same rate now in effect. The clerk then announced that rate is 3.84 percent above the rolled-back rate of 6.3727. The city is not raising the millage number; the rolled-back rate is the millage that would raise the same property-tax revenue as last year when applied to this year’s taxable values, so any rate above it is treated under Florida law as a tax increase even if the millage itself does not change. Ad valorem revenue above rollback is earmarked for new positions and rising pay, benefits, and operating costs. The clerk announced a tentative General Fund of $207,375,596 and a citywide total of $1,269,705,929. A final public hearing was set for the regular City Council meeting on Sept. 15.
Council also kept the three Downtown Development District millage rates at the current levels of 1.7185 in District A (4.37 percent over rollback), 1.6332 in District B (5.62 percent over rollback), and 1.4699 in District C (8.08 percent over rollback), and adopted a tentative Downtown Development Fund budget of $856,159. Staff said the extra levy supports higher operating costs in the districts…