Pinellas County Commissioners approve new budget, including tax cut for property owners

Red tide blooms along Pinellas County's coast in March 2023. Image via AP.

Pinellas County property owners will see a property tax rate decrease in the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

This month, the Pinellas County Commission approved the county’s budget of $4.3 billion. The official spending plan begins Oct. 1.

In the Pinellas budget, property owners will see reductions in millage rates. The general fund tax rate will go down, as will rates for emergency medical services; millage rates will also be reduced in eight other budget areas.

“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,” a Pinellas County news release said.

The county’s budget accounts for about one-third of the tax bill most property owners receive in Pinellas County. The next budget year’s tax rate reduction is the third millage rate reduction in the county in the past four years. The “Penny for Pinellas” sales tax will continue to fund projects as part of the original plan and provide revenues that offset the tax rate decrease.

Still, Pinellas County officials have their eyes on several services and upgrades within the budget for the next year including:

— Continued support of Sheriff’s operations, regional 911 services, emergency medical response services, and county-supported first responders.

— Continued enhanced maintenance of roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure.

— Maintaining natural assets, especially beaches, to support the economic engine that tourism provides in the region. This includes entirely funding beach nourishment in fiscal year 2025.

— 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.

While the county budget accounts for only about a third of the property tax bill in Pinellas County, the rest is for other agencies and functions that are not under county purview, such as the school system, municipalities and the transit authority.