OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The Marion County Board of County Commissioners approved the adoption of resolutions for the proposed Stormwater, Solid Waste and Fire and Rescue Municipal Services Tax Units, but one of the non-ad valorem assessment rolls failed to receive unanimous support from the commission at a public hearing on Sept. 10, 2025.

The proposed Stormwater and Fire and Rescue Municipal Services Tax Units were approved unanimously, however, the Solid Waste MSTU vote was fractured, being passed by a 3-2 margin, with County Commission Chair Kathy Bryant and County Commission Vice Chair Carl Zalak, III, casting the dissenting votes.

The Stormwater rates will remain unchanged for the proposed budget for fiscal year 2025-2026, but there will be significant increases for both solid waste and fire and rescue.

The solid waste rates caused great debate, and many of the county’s citizens were troubled and concerned with the increase, with a marked change that will see the amount increase by 150% from $87 to $215, and how it will affect their quality of life, especially seniors who find themselves living on a fixed income.

It appears that many residents still aren’t aware that 70% of the county’s budget goes toward public safety, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Fire and Rescue, EMTs and the 911 system, all necessary and critical services.

But the rate increase, for solid waste, which had held steady for the past 17 years, drew umbrage from the audience, especially with other services increasing making things far more economically challenging for many residents, who question whether or not they will be able to afford the increases going forward.

The number of parcels in the assessment are 169,883, and for the parcel to be included in the assessments, it must be considered an improved parcel with access to the services.

Assessments in general, have to provide a special benefit to the property and has to be fairly and reasonably apportioned along property. From a solid waste perspective, the most common in the State of Florida for residential is a dwelling unit basis, said Heather Encinosa, Partner in the law firm Nabors, Giblin and Nickerson.

The U.S. Consumer Price Index from 2008 to 2025, averaged 4.5% per year. The assessment adjusted for inflation would amount to $192.14. The assessment adjusted 1.5 times the CPI, according to a prior ordinance, would amount to $281.58. The water, sewer, trash index is $314.72 in 2025.

The Heart of Florida solid waste deal, managed costs and effective use of reserves accounted for $110 million in inflationary savings to county residents since 2008, keeping the rate at $87 for 17 years.

For the Marion County residential solid water services for fiscal year 2025-2026.

  • The tentative budget is $34,698,704.87 or $36,524,952.50, minus $1,826,247.63 or 5% of the tentative budget as required by state statutes.
  • The number of units is 169,883.50
  • The amount of assessment per residential unit’s proposed increase will be from $87 to $215 per residential unit.

For the stormwater services and stormwater management programs, no increase has been proposed for next year’s assessment rate.

  • The number of equivalent stormwater units as defined by ordinance is 282,576.99.
  • The amount of assessment per ESU is $15 maximum and $10.57 minimum
  • The ESU equals 2,275 square feet
  • The budget being the total amount of special assessments to be collected minus 5% as required by section 129.01 of the Florida Statutes is $4,238,684.85, minus 5% or $211,932.74 or $4,026,722.11.

For the fire rescue services assessment.

  • The assessment is based on two components: demand and availability.
  • For the residential category, there is a proposed increase of $27.36 per dwelling unit for the demand component and $56.70 per equivalent dwelling unit, EDU, for the availability component. This raises the total assessment from $199.91 to $283.97 per dwelling unit.
  • In the non-residential categories, there is also a proposed increase of $56.70 per EDU for the availability component, along with significant increases to most of the per square foot demand component rates. The exception is miscellaneous buildings, which are proposed to have a slight decrease in the demand component.
  • The tentative budget for Fire Rescue Services is $54,797,694.80.