Alachua County property owners can expect a spike in taxes

Property owners in Alachua County will pay higher taxes despite county commissioners approving a proposal to decrease the rate.

Alachua County Commissioners voted to decrease taxes for property owners Tuesday. 

They decreased the millage rate, which is the tax rate per every $1,000 of a property’s value, by .02 mills. 

Despite this, property owners will collectively pay $9 million more in taxes in 2021-22 than they did last year.

A county commission spokesperson said the tax increase is because properties in Alachua County have gone up in value. 

Jennifer Muir, a Gainesville homeowner, said she can’t afford the tax increase. 

“I have chronic pain, which is pain 24/7, 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” she said. “Social security disability is my only bill, but they’re expecting me to somehow come up with this money when I can’t even work.”

The 52-year-old former teacher said she only gets paid $760 a month from the government after a car accident in 2004 caused her permanent injuries. 

Assistant County Manager Tommy Crosby said the property taxes will generate about $155 million in revenue, which will mostly go to public safety agencies. 

The new property tax rate is set to take effect in November.