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Escambia County Approves Slightly Reduced Property Tax Increase
September 26, 2025
This week, the Escambia County Commission approved a nearly $885.5 million budget for the next fiscal year while approving a slightly lower property tax increase than was originally proposed.
The $868,481,713 budget is nearly $70 million, or 8.74% higher than last fiscal year’s $798,672,479 budget, but $47 million of that increase is from hospital MSBU pass-through funds that are not controlled by the county.
After discussion, the commission approved a slight decrease in the proposed 6.6165 mills rate to 6.6 mills that was proposed by District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry. The difference will amount to about $546,000 and will be made up from reserve funds rather than cutting programs or laying off employees.
The final adopted millage rates were a 6.6 mills countywide, 0.359 mills for the library system, and 0.685 for the Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Municipal Services Taxing Unit.
Commissioners agreed that they will discuss more potential cost-cutting actions at future meetings, including potential reductions in $17.8 million in funding for community partners and the tax for the Escambia Children’s Trust, which may go back on the ballot next year.
The county has also approved a nearly doubled Fire MSBU — from $125.33 per dwelling unit to $226.78 — to boost firefighter pay and address potential new and improved fire stations.
Comments
38 Responses to “Escambia County Approves Slightly Reduced Property Tax Increase”
Now is this on top of or including the property tax increase the ECSB just approved?
8.74 increase in this economy just shows you they think they can spend our tax dollars for all there pet projects at will. Time for DODGE to get here and root at all the waste and fraud then time to clean house especially those 2 who have been on way to long with no accountability!!
Well… I am so close to being homeless it’s ridiculous. It is tragic that the homeplace that has been in my family for over 115 years can just be STOLEN by the very people we elect to protect us/our interests. I’ve been struggling to keep the former taxes paid. I have no idea how I can now double that?¿ It’s hopeless.
The”powers that be” should allocate plenty of $$ to the agencies that help the homeless. There’s definitely gonna be an increase in their volume. This travesty will surely be the cause of many people losing their homes.
I may be one of them.
I will burn it to the ground before some LLC steals it for back taxes
This is the polar opposite of what needs to happen in this county, especially for those of us in the North end. We get practically No benefit from any $$ gathered in this county.
“Unbelievable “ is 100% correct — WE NEED TERM LIMITS!
Shhh…. don’t tell them to cut the 50% off my home improvement central air conditioning from your tax dollars.
VOTE ALL OF THESE PEOPLE OUT!!! Then do your research! Escambia County taxes are ridiculously over the top.
“…. The difference will amount to about $546,000 and will be made up from reserve funds rather than cutting programs or laying off employees.”
Cutting fat and good ol boy positions in the county is what would have saved us. Start gathering pics of county employees parked under secluded shade trees napping like ECUA folks do…
Shhhh…Careful or they will cut my 50% off home improvement projects paid for with your tax dollars.
https://myescambia.com/our-services/neighborhood-human-services/community-redevelopment-agencies/programs-and-services/residential-programs/residential-rehab-grant-program
The only politician around here with the courage to mention the taxpayer is Michele Salzman . And that’s courage with a “B” ; the rest are spineless money grabbers !
Well folks just think about it. The school board wants more money when there’s less people putting their kids in public schools. The teachers won’t see it. Now the county commissioners want more money. It doesn’t matter how much we complain nothings going to change they’re going to take it. The bottom line is a school board should not have the ability to levy taxes. County commissioners need term limits, two terms max. Otherwise they become embedded like a tick. Then we have the ECUA another agency that does as they choose. All of these people are supposed to be public servants but in reality the only person they are serving is themselves. Once they are voted in they no longer give a hoot about what the voters want. It’s virtually impossible to remove em. Either we stand up & tell them NO or just learn to accept it because they aren’t the least bit concerned.
What well established job bringing industry would take this clown show seriously ? The answer is none !
once again spend, spend spend spend. We are now in OVER A BILLION DOLLARS TO RUN THIS COUNTY. We need a full STOP on all spending increases in this county as long as we have MORE ataxpayerrs coming on line. This is getting REDUNKULESS!
Seems like a lot of the oil spill money could have been used for things like firehouses. Instead it goes to private businesses. Vote for clowns, expect a circus. Vote for thieves, expect to get robbed.
While I do believe we are paying too much for property tax, I can’t complain about the extra for Fire Tax. I can remember when the different Fire stations were allowed boot drives to raise money especially for the volunteer stations. That got stopped years ago. We need our Fire departs and EMTs. More stations are going to paid firefighters and volunteers. We need that. I am thankful for the firefighters in Molino, and don’t begrudge that extra money. Yes I agree and hope new people will run for commissioner positions, hopefully new blood will be a good and positive thing.
Oh boy can’t wait til we vote these guys out
I agree doubling the fire MSBU seems outrageous on the surface but when you consider the services you receive from the fire department and compare it to other services one receives it doesn’t seem so bad. I have called for fire and EMS help several times and they come quickly and the service is always excellent. I am willing to pay $18.90 a month for their service. Most of us pay far more each month for our cell phones, cable TV, and Internet service and don’t get nearly the same level of service. So, while I don’t understand why my MSBU for fire service nearly doubled, I am willing to pay $18.90 a month to fund the fire department. Thank you men and women of the fire department for the service you provide.
Vote them all out. Tax increases should be on a ballot for everyone to have a choice on. And the fire tax. I suppose we need more for trucks so they can have more to drive to lunch in. Way to go commissioners.
Don’t complain, you got the Gulf of America sign!!
Why do we complain each time there is a tax increase, we as voters keep electing the same people over and over. We know what there record is went it comes to tax increases ,as often as possible. This will continue to happen until we elect people that will stand up to all the developers and past impact fees tor new construction. If the school district was a business the owners ( tax payers) would be asking the management ( school board) how have 5000 customers (students) been lost. A business would have to downsize instead of asking for a increase of $70 million dollars to the budget for one year what will the increase next year be?
No incumbent vote here !
Slightly reduced increase ; Nice !
My two cents for everyone complaining: please continue to pay your taxes so our billionaire overlords can continue to avoid doing so. They are our Saints and Saviors. Carry on and continue to do your duty!
What a shame that the commission gives us a tiny tiny reduction on property taxes and then jumps the fire percentage up. We need to stand together and vote these idiots out of office and get people in here who care about the citizens of Pensacola and senior citizens who are having a tough time paying all these taxes on our homes that we Paid for. And I agree with others on the next ballot all of you on this commission I will not be voting for you we need new blood in there that really wants to help this city.
more taxes; its about time YOU learn to do without. just like the rest of us; school board taxes are way too high since they passed their tax raise. people are sick and tired of being taxed to death. if your home IS homesteaded YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO PAY TAXES ON IT ANY LONGER. it must be nice to spend OTHER PEOPLES MONEY ON STUFF THATS NOT NEEDED. ITS THE VERY REASON YOU PEOPLE THINK ITS OK FOR PROGRAMS WE DON’T NEED. I think any elected official that wants to collect our taxes and spend it on nonsense should have to pay half the bill out of their pocket. they wouldn’t be so eager to spend money if they had to pay for half of it. .
The school board should NOT be given the authority to raise property taxes. It should be voted on by the people. If we have to have a vote to reduce or eliminate this SCAM we’ve been paying into, then it should require a vote to raise it as well. It makes no sense giving these people the power to do this.
A “reduced increase” is still an increase. Our home was paid off years ago, and we still don’t own it. We still pay our rent to the county in quarterly installments. I understand the necessity of taxes, but I also remember hearing promises about large reductions for seniors who don’t have a mortgage during the political promise flinging season before last election.
How about making a deal with the school board and transferring the children’s trust funds and future funds to them and they drop the tax increases they want .Hey it’s for the children right?
!!!!!!
Firebill doubles almost.
Wish my SS checks would. On a fixed income and savings almost gone(mainly because of med bills).
Commiss all need to be replaced. Homesteaders on single dwellings should get a break. What about commercial buildings,they dont get an increase!?!
IMHO, the minuscule 0.0165 rollback in the millage rate wasnt nearly adequate. In fact, the Board should have sought a minimum of a half-mil (0.5) rollback in rates. In the last 5-years the budget has increased at least $310 million or about 60%.
The increase in the Fire Tax is a huge scam to reach deeper into the pockets of taxpayers. The funds for construction of the new fire stations should have been budgeted from the Local Options Sales Tax — aka: penny tax — that voters approved to fund infrastructure projects such as new fire stations. It generates about $60 million dollars each year.
While the County indicated they budgeted up to $8 million for each new station to be built from the $35 million being generated in new Fire Fees, what are the plans for this $16 million dollars in subsequent years??? It just became a honey pot of money to shuffle from one fund to another to be spent elsewhere.
Our representatives should be seeking to rollback the millage rate and eliminating the franchise fee on our FPL bills. Smaller Government and Less taxes. Not see how much can be siphoned from taxpayers wallets and then spend, spend, spend.
Vote them all out.
I think we need an 80% politician tax.
Please send DOGE to our county and school board.
I’m all for fully funding fire and police. But doubling the Fire MSBU? Why is it that the county powers that be, keep rubber-stamping development, which causes increased infrastructure demand, but doesn’t require those Developers to foot the bill for the increased demand? I asked that in an email to my Board Rep. and NO reply.
Next time the Local Option Sales Taxes come up for renewal, ask why it is that the County doesn’t fully fund fire and police, so that a L.O.S.T. (ironic acronym for a tax) wouldn’t be needed at all?
Can’t wait to see the local government entities screaming if the State gets rid of property taxes. Hmm.
Support Desantis initiative on Homestead tax elimination. This measure will allow homeowners to get a brake and have the ECC work harder on mandatory expenditures . No more millage (piggy bank) . Continue taxing real state investment companies as well rentals and non primary residences . Allow doge to do their job and assist the ECC on budgeting decisions in turn saving millions, instead of passing it on to homeowners through the millage game .
Our property taxes are getting too high. I hope to see the Children’s Trust back on the ballot. The trust hasn’t provided much to the children in our area.
Slightly lower property tax increase.
Guess the commissioners can’t read the room; but, yet, they keep getting elected over and over and over.
First an foremost the cuts should come from the top starting
With the boards rediculas salary’.
The good ole taxpayer having to bail out incompetent politicians as usual ! Higher prices with lower quality and service .