Ocoee decreases millage rate for 2019-20

For the another consecutive year, Ocoee residents will be seeing a decrease in their taxes.

Ocoee leaders officially adopted the budget for Fiscal Year 2019-20, which includes a lowered millage rate of 5.25 — 0.25 mills lower than last year.

The millage rate is 2.06% higher than the rolled-back rate of 5.1438 mills. The 5.25 millage rate balances the total budget at $83,314,449. 

“If you look back, earlier about 15 to 20 years and you look at what’s happening in our city, it’s amazing what’s changed in the city of Ocoee in the last 15 years, really,” Mayor Rusty Johnson said.

Commissioner Rosemary Wilsen said she was pleased to see the decrease.

“We had multiple discussions over the past meetings regarding different items residents want or have asked for,” Wilsen said. “I feel that we have been very fiscally responsible within our city, and I think our mission this year is to keep working on the Lakeshore Center and the downtown facility that our citizens asked for. I believe when we start a project, we should finish a project, and I think we’re moving along very well here.”

This year, the city’s main focus is continuing revitalization of the downtown area, as well as fixing roads and surrounding sidewalks. This includes the first phase of the Lakefront Park improvements, as well as reconstructing a traffic signal at Fullers Cross and Ocoee-Apopka roads.

“Our budget, we’ve lowered the millage rate for three straight years — really four straight years,” Johnson said, attributing it to economic growth and good management by staff. “That’s pretty much what it is — just keep doing what we’re doing to keep the city ahead of things. Economic growth came and has been here for the last year or two, and it started finally showing up on our tax rolls with all the (State Road) 429 corridor with what’s happening out there with expansion and things.”