Taxes are charges levied by the local governmental unit against the income or wealth of a person, natural or corporate. Taxes comprised the largest revenue source totaling $452.3 million in fiscal year 2023. The County collects several different types of taxes considered as major revenue sources for this publication such as the ad valorem tax, the infrastructure surtax, the six‑cent local option fuel tax, the additional five‑cent local option fuel tax, the tourist development tax, the County one‑cent voted fuel tax, and the communications services tax. Non‑major tax revenues not detailed in this publication but represented in the tax total were $773.0 thousand. AD VALOREM TAXES Ad Valorem Taxes include, but are not limited to, revenue from general operating, debt service, mosquito control and emergency medical services. GENERAL OPERATING 2023 Budget: $ 247,054,371 2023 Actual: $260,254,999 2024 Budget: $ 293,818,235 DEBT SERVICE 2023 Budget: $ 11,497,934 2023 Actual: $ 11,681,070 2024 Budget: $ 11,349,351 MOSQUITO CONTROL 2023 Budget: $ 3,920,785 2023 Actual: $ 3,983,831 2024 Budget: $ 4,116,647 EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES 2023 Budget: $ 40,385,103 2023 Actual: $ 41,162,127 2024 Budget: $ 45,970,466 Legal Authorization: Article VII, Section 9 of the State Constitution, Florida Statutes Chapters 192 through 197 and 200, County Ordinances 02‑091; 01‑099 as amended by 02‑058, 02‑088, 03‑101, 03‑042, 04‑116, 08‑116, and 99‑091, as supplemented hereby 08‑023; 21‑026. Description: The ad valorem tax is a property tax. For fiscal year 2023, the amount of the tax was determined by the following formula: taxable value of the property/1,000 times 3.4463. Taxes for Environmentally Sensitive Lands are included within the General Operating line. The Emergency Medical Service (EMS) millage rate was 0.66, which is a separate millage rate that is not assessed to properties within the Town of Longboat Key, the City of North Port or the City of Venice. THE FOLLOWING LISTS THE APPROVED MILLAGE RATES FOR FISCAL YEARS 2023 AND 2024. 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 $400 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Budget SarasotaClerk.com 7 FY 2023 FY 2024 General Operating 3.2497 3.2653 Mosquito Control 0.0500 0.0460 Debt Service (ESLPP)* 0.0915 0.0799 Debt Service (Legacy Trail) 0.0551 0.0469 Total Sarasota County 3.4463 3.4381 CATEGORY 1 – TAXES The methodology for levy, collection, and distribution of ad valorem taxes is a highly regulated activity governed by a variety of statutes including Chapter 200 of the Florida Statutes. The methodology is administered through a variety of regulations in the Florida Administrative Code by the Department of Revenue. The tax is collected by the Tax Collector’s Office. Uses and Restrictions: Ad valorem taxes are generally restricted for lawful budgeted purposes which were authorized by the Board of County Commissioners (Board). In general, ad valorem taxes must be used to benefit the public and the County as a whole. The ad valorem tax revenues have been pledged to pay the Limited Ad Valorem Tax Refunding Bonds, Environmentally Sensitive Land Protection Program and General Obligation Bonds. * ESLPP is the acronym for Environmentally Sensitive Lands Protection Program TOTAL AD VALOREM TAXES Millions
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzM3Mjg=