County commissioners on Tuesday set a tentative tax rate of $5.43 per $1,000 of property valuation for the upcoming 2008-09 fiscal year – the same rate homeowners paid this year. Property owners will, however, save an estimated $115 each in the coming year, however, thanks to statewide property tax reform, a slow economy and a trimmed down budget of $980 million. Homeowners in August will receive notices from the property appraiser showing their estimated taxes for the coming year. Those in the county's fire and rescue taxing district also must pay 99.6 cents per $1,000 as well as school taxes, water district and mosquito control district fees and other assessments. Those in municipalities pay local taxes. ...more

July 23, 2008

Because of an editor's error, a story on page A2 of Tuesday's edition, "Belt-Tightening On Horizon For Brooksville," contained incorrect information. If city council members pass a proposed budget funded by a property tax millage rate of 7 mills, the owner of a home with an assessed property value of $150,000 would incur a $700 tax bill after the $50,000 homestead exemption is applied. ...more

July 23, 2008

If only the federal government could pull off this trick. The proposed fiscal 2009 budget Pasco County Administrator John Gallagher unveiled last week is 19 percent below the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. That would put the county budget for next year below the $1 billion threshold, at roughly $980 million. ...more

July 23, 2008

It's best to have a cushion, just in case. That's the word from the members of Brooksville's City Council, who voted 5-0 Monday during their regular meeting to take a conservative approach to this year's budget process by starting with a tentative millage rate of 7 mills, just as they did last year. ...more

July 22, 2008

City officials might not have to use the word "slash" to describe this year's budget process. ...more

July 20, 2008

Hillsborough County property owners may pay a little more in school taxes while the district's budget shrinks. ...more

July 19, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY -- County leaders are enduring the monetary equivalent of a root-canal operation as they contemplate shrinking the budget by 19 percent to reflect the downturn in the economy. ...more

July 15, 2008

Two voters who filed a lawsuit to disqualify write-in candidate John M. Taylor and open the District 1 county commission primary to all Pasco County voters abandoned their claim Wednesday. ...more

July 10, 2008

How much is Hernando County worth these days? Thanks to Amendment 1 and plummeting property values, not nearly as much as last year. ...more

July 8, 2008

Home permits down 58 percent for first six months of 2008. ...more

July 7, 2008