Homeowners in Haines City, Florida, may get some property tax relief under the proposed 2027 city budget.
Here's what to know
Florida commissioners are preparing to review a tentative $177.2 million budget for 2027, up 16.9% from the 2026 plan. Even with that increase, the proposed city millage rate would stay at 7.3395 mills, or about $734 for every $100,000 in assessed value, according to The Ledger.
The proposal would lower the fire assessment fee and drop rates from 85 cents to 80 cents per $1,000 of improvements, while the base charge would fall from $139.93 to $123.77 per parcel.
Finance director Omar DeJesus said, "The thinking of the commission was this is another way to give some tax relief."
DeJesus estimated that, if adopted, the unchanged tax rate and reduced fire fee would provide more than $2 million in relief citywide. He said the average single-family homeowner with a homestead exemption would owe about $250 less than in 2026.
More background
Even so, the city still expects property-tax collections to rise, largely because of new construction. DeJesus projected about $30.9 million in revenue — up roughly $1.6 million from 2026.
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Some homeowners could still end up with smaller bills because assessed values have dropped. Data from the Polk County Property Appraiser's Office put the median assessed value of a Haines City single-family home at $212,659—down more than $30,000 from 2026.
For a typical single-family home with $200,000 in improvements on one lot, the proposed fire assessment would total about $284. When added to city property taxes, the average amount owed to the city would be about $1,478.
Final approval is still scheduled for September 24. Because the proposed millage is below the rollback rate, The Ledger reported that it would need support from three of the city's five commissioners to pass.
What's being done?
Beyond taxes and fees, the budget is centered on public safety and infrastructure tied to growth. The city plans to draw on accumulated reserves for large projects, including a $60 million expansion of its wastewater treatment plant to handle future demand in the fast-growing northeast part of Polk County.
The proposal also includes $5.2 million for the planning and construction of a new downtown parking garage beside the city hall annex. About $550,000 more would fund parking improvements at the Larry Parrish Sports Complex.
Another major item is a $12 million Public Safety Center near Carl Boozer Road—a project funded through police and fire impact fees. The facility is expected to include Fire Station 4 and another police station along the U.S. 27 corridor, with city plans to hire 10 additional police officers and 13 firefighters.
DeJesus said, "Public safety was the driving force for new city personnel. Between the opening of the new Emergency Operations Center and new fire station, we need to go ahead and add a substantial amount of new public safety personnel."
Where can I learn more?
Similar fights are playing out in Florida and beyond, including over utility bills, zoning disputes, and taxes tied to buildings and energy use.
• In Florida, Duke Energy customers avoided a 2027 rate hike after $50 million in tax savings.
• In North Port, a retiree sued after the city rezoned his lot for businesses instead of a home.
• In Berkeley, officials moved toward a tax on large buildings tied to natural gas use.
• In Southern California, homeowners banded together over energy rate hikes as officials weighed higher bills.
Each of these cases points to policy decisions that can reshape housing-related costs in very different ways.
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