News Summary
Residents in Tallahassee and Leon County will experience a rise in property tax bills in 2026 due to an 8% increase in taxable property values. Despite unchanged millage rates, additional fee hikes for fire services and solid waste management will further escalate costs for property owners. The city’s budget has received approval, reflecting significant funding for employee raises and community programs. City officials remain concerned about affordability, especially for vulnerable populations affected by these financial changes.
TALLAHASSEE – Residents of Tallahassee and Leon County are facing increased property tax bills in 2026, despite the City and County commissions maintaining unchanged millage rates. This increase is primarily attributed to a nearly 8% rise in taxable property values reported in 2025.
In discussions during public hearings held in September, both the City of Tallahassee and Leon County commissioners opted not to raise property tax rates. This decision was met with a lack of opposition from residents, leading Mayor John Dailey to interpret the silence as community support for the proposed budget plan.
While property tax rates remain unchanged, city residents can expect to see nearly a 10% increase in fire service fees, adding roughly $2 to monthly bills. The fee hikes will be more pronounced for non-residential property owners. Additionally, residents will face other fee increases that will affect solid waste rates, cemetery plots, and developer permit costs.
City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow expressed concerns regarding the approved property tax rate of $4.42 per $1,000 of property value, advocating for a slight reduction. Ultimately, the commission adopted a marginally lower rate of $4.4072, expected to generate approximately $6.2 million in extra revenue, with forty percent of this amount attributed to new developments.
For a homesteaded property with a taxable value of $230,720, residents could see their tax bills increase by $0.77 per month. Meanwhile, commercial properties valued at around $1.04 million will likely see increases of around $7.99 monthly. The Save Our Homes amendment protects property values on homesteaded properties from increasing more than 3% or the Consumer Price Index, whichever is lower. Thus, the average tax bill for these homes may differ based on fluctuations in the real estate market.
The city’s budget, amounting to $1.21 billion for the fiscal year 2026, received a 4-1 approval vote from commissioners, reflecting funding allocations for employee raises and various youth and crime reduction programs. Meanwhile, Leon County approved a general property tax rate of $8.3144, anticipated to yield over $15 million in additional revenue. One member, County Commissioner Christian Caban, voted against the tax rate, emphasizing the pressing need to tackle the ongoing affordability crisis in the region.
Under the Save Our Homes measure, a typical residential property valued at about $226,923 with a $50,000 exemption is projected to see an annual increase of approximately $60 in taxes. Fire service fee increases will only impact properties within the city limits. For Zone 1 residents, fees will rise nearly 10% this fiscal year, bringing monthly charges for residential customers to $22.15. Commercial properties will face a monthly fee increase to $172.79.
Furthermore, city officials have noted that if ongoing legal disputes with the county regarding fee increases do not resolve in the city’s favor, they may reconsider some of these hikes. Solid waste collection fees for both residential and commercial sectors will also see an increase, as monthly charges for curbside service will rise from $25.77 to $26.83.
The cost of cemetery plots in the city is set to surge significantly, escalating from $1,047 to $1,600. Additionally, growth management fees levied on developers will increase based on inflation rates, with maximum fees possibly reaching $139,500 for certain permits.
In conclusion, while property tax rates in Tallahassee and Leon County remain stable, various new fee increases and rising property values are likely to impose additional financial burdens on residents and property owners alike in the upcoming fiscal year.
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Additional Resources
- Tallahassee Democrat: Taxes and Fees Going Up in 2026
- Fox 13 News: Florida Lawmakers Discuss Property Tax Proposals
- WTXL: Property Tax Bills May Be Higher This Year
- Florida Phoenix: Hillsborough County Property Tax Discussion
- Florida Politics: Poll on Reducing Property Taxes
- Wikipedia: Property Tax
- Google Search: Property Tax Florida
- Google Scholar: Property Taxes Florida
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Property Tax
- Google News: Florida Property Tax
Author: STAFF HERE TALLAHASSEE WRITER
The TALLAHASSEE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERETallahassee.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Tallahassee, Leon County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Springtime Tallahassee, Tallahassee Jazz & Blues Festival, and LeMoyne Chain of Parks Art Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce and United Way of the Big Bend, plus leading businesses in education, healthcare, and insurance that power the local economy such as Florida State University, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, and Capital Health Plan. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREJacksonville.com, HEREOrlando.com, HEREStPetersburg.com, and HERETampa.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Florida's dynamic landscape.
