Commission Adopts Tentative Millage Rate Despite Calls for Rollback

Mayor Antun (left) and Commissioner Minshew (far right) pushed back on Darron Ayscue's effort to reduce the millage rate.

After a lengthy discussion marked by financial caution and differing philosophies on taxation, the Fernandina Beach City Commission voted 4-1 on Wednesday night to adopt a tentative millage rate of 4.6849 mills per $1,000 of assessed property value for fiscal year 2025–2026 — a 7.37% increase over the rollback rate.

“This is the proposed millage resolution 2025-156 that you are considering,” City Attorney Teresa Prince confirmed, following the required reading of the Truth in Millage statement. “The rollback rate is 4.3632 mills per $1,000 of assessed value… the operating millage rate to be levied is 4.6849 mills.”

City Manager Sarah Campbell presented the fiscal overview.

“All of our funds together combined equal $240 million. These funds are balanced, and we left a surplus of about five hundred thousand dollars in the general fund.”

Campbell point out that figure increased after administrative adjustments: “It would increase your general fund balance to $628,000… just based on some additional revenues… and some expenditures that aren’t going to be happening.”

She clarified that “by and large, anything in the general fund typically is going to be a recurring fund.”

As in prior millage rate/budget meetings, Vice Mayor Darron Ayscue advocated strongly for reducing the rate: “All I’m looking to do is roll it back and be tax neutral at three percent… a three percent reduction in millage which allows it to be a tax neutral for homesteaded properties and a three percent reduction for commercial and non-homesteaded.”

Campbell responded with adjusted figures: “Right now at 4.6849 mills we generate $1.8 million in increased revenue. If we were to go down to 4.65 mills, we would be generating an additional $1.74 million… a decrease of $150,000 in millage revenue.”

A deeper rollback to 4.5730 mills — what Ayscue referred to as the “modified rollback rate” — would eliminate the surplus entirely. “You could go down to 4.5730,” Campbell explained, “but that would take you down to $1.2 million, so we’d have to cut $600,000.”

Ayscue warned of state-level pressure building to cap property taxes.

“People in this state have been screaming so loudly that the state of Florida's legislatures are going to have to step in… it’s because people have had enough of local governments not reining in their spending,” he asserted.

Commissioner Genece Minshew urged fiscal restraint: “We are faced with multiple lawsuits. We are faced with significant infrastructure projects that are not yet clearly defined and/or funded… I think this money should go into contingency.”

Commissioner Tim Poynter agreed: “Although it’d be nice to say let's just give back whatever we have… then what happens? Then we go into this year's capital plan… and then we cut that to get the money. This is what continues to happen in the city — everything just keeps getting pushed off.”

Mayor James Antun added, “I appreciate what you’re saying, Vice Mayor… I would certainly be interested in at least seeing those numbers as an exercise in transparency.”

The Commission passed Resolution 2025-156 to adopt the tentative millage rate by a vote of 4–1, with Vice Mayor Ayscue dissenting. They also approved Resolution 2025-157, adopting the tentative budget, which includes the $628,000 surplus — a motion that passed 5–0.

No public comments were made during the hearing.

The final public hearing to adopt the budget and confirm the millage rate will be September 16, 2025, at 5:05 p.m.