Collier recommends property tax decrease

The millage rate in Collier County may be going down for fiscal year 2007.

At a budget workshop today, county staff said they were recommending dropping the millage rate to $3.59 per $1,000 of taxable property. For the last five years the millage rate has been $3.90 per $1,000 of taxable property.

This proposed drop would be occurring even though the total county budget is going up by 20 percent, from $984 million to just under $1.2 billion. Taxable property values increased by 25.6 percent in the last year, so even with the millage reduction, many people will still end up paying more property taxes in 2007 than they did in 2006.

Today was the first day of budget hearings for the county. The day included a general overview of the money going to the state attorney, public defender, airport authority, administrative services, transportation services, public utilities, public services and the offices of the county commission.

Each department went before the commissioners and justified the money they are requesting within their budgets.

On Friday the constitutional officers will go before the commissioners. Public comment will be heard at 1 p.m. Friday.