OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The final public hearing for adopting the resolution for the City of Ocala’s tentative fiscal year 2025-2026 Budget and millage rates, will be held at the Ocala City Council meeting Sept. 16, 2025.

The final public hearings for the resolution to adopt the tentative fiscal year 2025-2026 millage rates for the downtown development at the current rates of 1,7185, District A; 1.6332, District B and 1.4699, District C and the budget resolution to adopt the tentative fiscal year 2025-2026 budget for the Downtown Development Fund in the amount of $695,065, will also be held.

A final public hearing for a resolution to adopt the tentative fiscal year for the 2025-2026 millage rate for the City of Ocala at the current rate of 6.6177, and a budget resolution to adopt the tentative fiscal year 2025-2206 budget for the City of Ocala in the amount of $1,152,885.830, which was tentatively adopted on Sept. 3, 2025, with the total including the Downtown Development Fund which the Ocala City Council tentatively adopted at the Sept. 3. 2025 meeting.

The budget was presented to the Ocala City Council during an Aug. 12, 2025, workshop.

  • The overall budget totals are $1,152,885,830.
  • The General Fund budget totals are $188,100,612.
  • The budget is balanced at a millage rate of 6.6177, which is 5.83% above the rolled-back rate of 6.2532.
  • The additional revenue derived from the increase over the rolled-back rate will support the addition of critical employees as well as assist with increasing cost pressures related to salary, benefits, and operating costs.
  • The General Fund reserve for fund balance is fully funded at the 20% level.
  • All funds are balanced revenues to expenditures.

A resolution of the City of Ocala adopting the tentative levying of ad valorem taxes for the forthcoming fiscal year, 2025-2026, was adopted at the first public hearing Sept. 3, 2025, The gross taxable value for operating purposes not exempt from taxation within the City of Ocala has been certified by the Marion County Property Appraiser as $8,528,135,273. The Fiscal Year 2025-26 operating millage rate is 6.6177, which is greater than the rolled-back rate of 6.2532 by 5.83%. 2. This resolution will take effect immediately upon its adoption.

Six of the budget items account for $884,431,671 of the $1,152,885,830; Electric, $203, 881,500; General Employees’ Retirement, $200,680, 896; General Fund, $188,100,612; Firefighters Retirement Plan, 106,601,894; Police Officers’ Retirement System, $106,435,845 and Water Resources, $78,714, 294.