09/29/2026
Duette Residents
As your Fire Chief I recently came out with how your tax dollars are spent based on a total budget of $811,000 in 25-26. For the year 26-27 our budget is increasing to $890,000. When I began as fire chief in 2022 the budget for DFR was $325,000, that is a 173.85% increase, why? With all the hype about how budgets have increased over the past few years, I wanted to make sure you all knew why the DFR budget has increased.
In August 2025 Duette approved Ad Valorem taxes so we could provide paramedic non-transport for our district. The revenue this brought in was about $179,000 which allowed us to hire part-time paramedics as promised plus equipment and medications which expire as an on-going expense. We have 3 heart monitors @ $18,000 each (Grants) and we are the only fire district in Manatee County with a LUCUS CPR device purchased with grants as well.
The Non-Ad Valorem Fire Assessment for 26-27 Duette is $705,854, this is where the largest increase occurred but why? We are fortunate as a community to have room for solar fields which accounts for most of the increase from 2022. Solar fields account for 49.85% of the assessment or $351,900, the remaining commercial accounts for 37.40% or $264,000 with residents at approximately 12.75% or $90,000. Commercial bears the burden for our Duette Community and we appreciate them greatly for that, now you know.
