Superintendent of Schools Jan Harris (standing, left) and Board of Education Chairwoman Carolyn Bradford present the school tax millage rate to County Executive Ted Rumley (left) and the county commission.
The fiscal year 2020 budget processes for Dade County and its school system wound peacefully to a close on Thursday with the annual special called meeting attended by both governing groups to finalize their millage, or taxation, rates.
The Dade County Commission set its rate at 8.233 mills for the unincorporated county and 10.948 mills for inside Trenton city limits.
The Dade Board of Education set the school tax rate at 15.330 mills.
This represents a small decrease in taxes from this year for both taxing agencies, both having chosen to roll back their taxation rates slightly rather than "accepting the growth" in a slightly increased tax digest. "Accepting the growth" means collecting a tad more revenue by multiplying the same millage rate by the larger tax base--but it also requires advertising a tax increase even though the rate has remained the same, and such advertisements tend to rile voters.
Dade County Schools Superintendent Jan Harris and B of E Chairman Carolyn Bradford presented their rate to Dade County Executive Chairman Ted Rumley and the other commissioners for approval, a yearly ritual. In fact, the county commission is responsible for collecting the school tax, and charges the schools a small percentage for doing so; but the commission has no power to change or deny the school board's decision on millage rates.
