Understanding and disputing TRIM notices

Sharon Outland’s office is distributing the “Truth in Millage” notice to Historic City News readers who own property in St. Johns County; which, although it is not your final tax bill, does contain a lot of important information — some of which you have a limited time to dispute.

The purpose of the TRIM notice, as it is called, is to advise you of the value that the Property Appraiser has assigned to your property for the current tax year, and to notify you of how the taxing authorities proposed millage rates will affect your taxes.

Objections to the millage rate should be addressed to the local governing body levying the taxes. To assist you in identifying and contacting those taxing districts, we have listed them in this article.

If you disagree with the values assigned to your property, you can meet with the Property Appraiser informally to discuss your concerns or you can file a petition to the Value Adjustment Board.

Petitions to the Value Adjustment Board must be filed no later than 25 days after the mailing of the TRIM notice.

You also have the right to challenge the assessments in court.

HOW MILLAGE TRANSLATES INTO PROPERTY TAX

Example: If your property has a taxable value of $100,000 and the millage rate is .001, your taxes would be $100 (or $100,000 x .001). If your property had a taxable value of only $90,000, but the millage rate was .002, then your taxes would be $180 (or $90,000 x .002).

TAXING AUTHORITIES IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY

St. Johns County (904) 209-0571
500 San Sebastian View
St. Augustine, Florida 32084
* General
* Transportation
* Health
* Fire
* Vilano Street Lighting
* St. Augustine South Street Lighting
* Summer Haven

St. Johns County School Board (904) 547-7500
40 Orange Street
St. Augustine, Florida 32084

City of St. Augustine (904) 825-1030
PO Box 210
St. Augustine, Florida 32085
* Fire Assessment – Non-Ad Valorem

City of St. Augustine Beach (904) 471-2122
2200 A1A South
St. Augustine, Florida 32080-7958
* City Of St. Augustine Beach Bond

Town Of Hastings (904) 692-1420
6195 South Main Street Suite A
Hastings, Florida 32145

Ponte Vedra Municipal Service District (904) 285-2221
PO Box 1323
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 32004-1323

St. Augustine Port, Waterway & Beach District (904) 824-0113
3670 US-1 Hwy South, Suite 290
St. Augustine, Florida 32086

Florida Inland Navigation District (561) 627-3386
1314 Marcinski Road
Jupiter, Florida 33477

Anastasia Mosquito Control District (904)-471-3107
500 Old Beach Road
St. Augustine, Florida 32080

St. Johns River Water Management District (386) 329-4500
PO Box 1429
Palatka, Florida 32178-1429

Hastings Drainage District (904) 692-2246
PO Box 561
Hastings, Florida 32145-0561

Flagler Estates Road & Water Control (904) 692-1513
9850 Light Avenue
Hastings, Florida 32145