County needs more than $40-million to make ends meet

Assistant director of Management and Budget, Jesse Dunn, is blaming an increase in the county’s budget on capital outlay to pay for deferred maintenance in the General Fund, Fire District Fund, and Transportation Trust Fund.

The tentative total budget unanimously approved by St. Johns County commissioners yesterday for the coming fiscal year is $673,699,959.

The tentative aggregate millage rate is 7.2520 mills. The rolled-back rate, which is the millage rate that would be required to generate the same amount of tax revenue as the prior year, is 6.9755 mills.

The percentage increase in property taxes from the rolled-back rate is 3.96 percent.

A public hearing to consider the adoption of the final millage rates and budget is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on September 20, 2016 in the County Auditorium, 500 San Sebastian View, St. Augustine.

The $40-million increase over last year’s budget is partially due to projects provided for in previous years that are yet to be completed, according to Dunn.