Pasco County commissioners approved a $2.53 billion budget Tuesday that raises the fire-rescue tax rate nearly 10% in unincorporated areas, including Wesley Chapel, while lowering the county's overall tax rate.

The budget covers the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. The Board of County Commissioners adopted it at a public hearing through Resolution No. 26-398, along with a companion measure setting tax rates. The budget totals $2,529,286,226 gross and $2,390,248,515 after transfers between county funds.

Fire-rescue rate sees the largest increase

The biggest rate change hits the Fire Rescue Municipal Services Taxing Unit, which pays for fire prevention and suppression in unincorporated Pasco. The new rate is 2.2674 mills, 9.99% above the rolled-back rate of 2.0614 mills, according to Resolution No. 26-399. The rolled-back rate is the rate that would bring in the same property tax revenue as the prior year, not counting new construction. The new fire rate is 0.1449 mills higher than the current rate of 2.1225 mills.

A Wesley Chapel homeowner with $300,000 in taxable value would pay about $43 more a year on the fire-rescue portion of the tax bill.

Operating rate falls as fire tax rises

The general operating rate drops to 7.2488 mills from 7.4042 mills, matching the rolled-back rate. The roads rehabilitation rate stays at 0.4052 mills, which is 3% above its rolled-back rate of 0.3934 mills. Overall, the county's combined tax rate falls to 9.8298 mills from 10.1507 mills.

Countywide property tax revenue is projected at $616.3 million, compared with $578.2 million this year. Public safety spending grows to $537.2 million from $507.9 million, according to the county's budget summary. The county's gross taxable property value was certified at $64.6 billion for the coming fiscal year.

Fire rate last rose in 2023

In September 2023, commissioners raised the fire-rescue rate from about 1.8 mills to 2.1225 mills, 29.87% above that year's rolled-back rate. County Administrator Mike Carballa said then that the higher rate would generate an estimated $13.9 million and keep the fire department solvent for about four years, The Laker/Lutz News reported.

No individual vote tally or commissioner statements from Tuesday's hearing had been published in public records as of Thursday. The resolutions state only that a quorum was present and voting. Clerk and Comptroller Nikki Alvarez-Sowles attested the budget resolution.