Lakeland city commissioners on Thursday evening voted to levy property taxes at a millage rate no higher than the current rate of 5.4323 after a lengthy discussion about possibly going as high as 5.7649 mills to pay for the city’s $150 million budget, which was also tentatively approved.
A mill rate is one-tenth of a percent, which equates to $1 in taxes for every $1,000 in a property’s taxable value.
City Commissioner Stephanie Madden said she was shocked when she learned that the city doesn’t get enough in property taxes to cover the expenses of the police department.
The city commissioners were trying to figure out how to keep the millage rate low and still pay for an additional 12 firefighters, a new north side fire station, and an additional 13 Lakeland Police Department personnel.
“So when you think about the services that we get in the city of Lakeland, with our parks and with our fire and the quality of life that we have, it’s all on a millage rate that doesn’t even cover our police,” Madden said.
Commissioner Sara Roberts McCarley said she and the other commissioners want to fund the additional police and firefighters, recalling when she had to call 9-1-1.
“Commissioner Mike Musick said he would rather cut from within the budget than raise taxes, although if he needed to, he said he would.
In the end, the commission voted 5-2 on the millage rate, with Bill Read and Mutz voting no, and 6-1 on the city’s estimated $150 million budget, with Read voting no again.
The city will hold one more budget hearing on Sept. 29 at 6 p.m. in the city hall chambers for a final vote.