09/04/2026
Letter from Deltona City Manager Doc Dougherty
$๐ ๐๐๐ฑ ๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ
To the residents of the City of Deltona,
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐!!!!
This Wednesday evening, September 9, 2026, the City Commission of Deltona will have the opportunity to vote on a greatly reduced budget. For the first time in more than 12 years, the City budget has a ZERO-tax increase.
Going to the rollback rate means the City will collect the same amount of tax money as last year, even when your property values go up. In effect, it is generally a tax deduction for the City because, when City expenses go up, the taxpayers do not pay for the increase, thereby forcing the City to create efficiencies elsewhere to pay for increases the City must absorb. As a side note, the City could collect money from any new development during the past year, but it is quite evident that little development is taking place across the City.
As indicated in the chart below, after many years of the City keeping the millage rate high, City staff has worked diligently with the Commission to reduce the millage rate, while trying to maintain a sustainable level of service.
Your tax dollars, in part, pay for most of the services in the city including, but not limited to, Sheriff services, Fire/Paramedics, Roads, Code Compliance, Parks and Recreation, Planning & Zoning, Building, IT, City Maintenance/Infrastructure Repair and Replacement, and administrative services throughout the City.
While many cities and counties in Florida are being investigated for wasting taxpayer funds, Deltona has been at the forefront by successfully reducing the millage rate through the implementation of our zero-based budget and the promotion and hiring of professional staff to make Deltona a great place to live.
It is interesting to see the consideration of Novemberโs referendum โAmendment 3,โ to reduce property taxes, when the fine staff of the City of Deltona has already been moving the City in that direction.
As I always say, โ๐๐ตโ๐ด ๐ข ๐จ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต ๐ต๐ช๐ฎ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐๐ฆ๐ญ๐ต๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ข!โ
