County Commission reduces property tax rate again, approves FY25 budget

County Commission reduces property tax rate again, approves FY25 budget

The Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners on Thursday approved the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget, bringing additional financial relief to taxpayers by lowering the property tax rate. The $4.3 billion budget reduces the property rate for the third time in four years.

A strong focus on cost containment and efficiency will allow the County to continue providing the same high level of service while reducing the Countywide General Fund millage, the Countywide Emergency Medical Services millage and several other property tax rates under the Board's purview. In total, the Board reduced 10 of 23 millage rates.

The budget includes $3.3 billion for County services and operations and $1 billion for capital improvement projects. The Penny for Pinellas sales tax will continue to fully fund projects promised as part of the original plan.

Key budgetary goals over the next year include:

• Continued strong support of Sheriff's operations, regional 911 services, emergency medical response services and County-supportedfirst responders.
• Continued enhanced maintenance of roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure that would not have been possible without the Board's commitment of dedicated funds.
• Maintaining our natural assets, especially our beaches, to support the economic engine that tourism provides in our region. This includes fully funding beach nourishment in FY 25. The County is continuing efforts to urge the USACE to change its requirement on easements and honor existing agreements for nourishment funding.
• Support for the recently launched Care About Me (CAM) coordinated access model that streamlines and improves behavioral healthcare access.
• Advancing affordable housing initiatives in partnership with municipalities.

The county budget is only about one-third of most residents' property tax bill. The rest is for other agencies and functions that are not under County purview, such as the school system, municipalities and the transit authority.