By Mayor Bryan Nelson

This week, property tax notices have hit your mailboxes detailing what you owe for the 2025-2026 year for the specified property.  

The tax bill is broken out by different taxing entities, which include: Required Local Effort (RLE), Capital Outlay, Critical Operating, Discretionary Operating, Orange County Capital, Orange County General Revenue, Orange County Parks and Recreation, Orange County Library, the St. Johns River Water Management District and the City of Apopka.  

At the bottom of your tax bill is the city’s stormwater tax that funds our stormwater infrastructure and operating expenses. In addition to these taxes, some cities and Orange County also charge a fire fee, which is another form of taxation on your property.  

I am proud to announce that Apopka’s City Council was able to reduce your property tax rate by .25 mills, lowering your taxes and helping families to make ends meet.  

For my homestead in Apopka, the total millage rate is 15.8754 on the taxable value. All of the state, county and city ad valorem rates have different exempt values that lower your tax bill.  

The state property taxes have a $25,000 property exemption, and the county and city taxes have a $50,722 property tax exemption. The city has never had a fire fee to help balance our budget.  

Because we have reduced our general fund debt by 96% in the last seven years, we were able to give back some of those savings to our Apopka families.  

As we look forward to the Florida Legislature’s next session starting in January 2026, there will be plenty of discussions about property tax reform. I feel sure that a referendum will be on the November 2026 ballot to lower property taxes.  

Be sure to stay engaged with your state House and Senate members as they debate the best way to give Floridians tax and fee relief.