Michelle Franklin, the county’s Property Appraiser, is sending out mail next week. They’re not bills or junk mail – the letters explain to property owners’ what their property taxes and assessments can be if local taxing bodies approve proposed rates.
“They’ll mail on Friday the 18th,” Franklin said. “They should hit the post office mailboxes on the 18th, and homes on the 19th.”
The letters are the state-mandated Truth-in-Millage (or TRIM) notices. Franklin said the notices tell property owners what the appraiser’s office figures their homes are worth and what their taxable values are after standing exemptions are calculated. “When you see (the TRIM notice), please open the envelope and see if you agree with the value,” Franklin said. “You have 25 days from the date of the mailing to file an appeal.”
Those who think their properties are appraised too highly will not want to pay property taxes on value they disagree with. Those who think their properties are appraised too low will want to consider portability – the ability to take the Save Our Homes protections to another property should they relocate.
Earlier this summer taxing authorities, such as the county, adopted proposed millage rates for the next fiscal year. A millage rate is the amount of ad valorem tax for every $1,000 of a property’s assessed taxable value. The rates have to be adopted in two public hearings before the start of the fiscal year, October. Local taxing bodies can adopt lower millage rates, but not raise them, from the adopted proposed rates.
“We have about 22 taxing authorities in St. Lucie County,” Franklin said.
Not everyone pays to all 22. Residents’ TRIM notices will let them know which governmental bodies can tax them and when the public hearings setting their tax rates will be. “When you flip the TRIM notice over, that’s when you see all the information about your taxing authorities,” Franklin said.
TRIM notices are a good reminder that many qualify for various property-tax exemptions.
For example, during last year’s general election, voters approved the Totally and Permanently Disabled Florida First Responders Exemption. That exemption nixes property taxes for those who had catastrophic injuries while working for Florida fire, police and corrections departments. Additionally, quadriplegics and some honorably discharged veterans with total and permanent service-connected disabilities can get their property taxes eliminated.
However, complete exemption from property taxes doesn’t include special assessments, such as storm water. Even if someone isn’t obligated to pay property tax, he or she must still pay any special assessments on his or her tax bill.
The homestead exemption, of course, is the best known. To qualify, one must, as of Jan. 1 this year, be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident and a permanent resident of Florida. Additionally, he or she must have made the property his or her residence.
Those 65 and older can get an additional $25,000 homestead exemption if the adjusted household income is $28,841 or less. That figure changes with the consumer price index annually. There are additional exemptions for the blind, widows and widowers, active-duty military and others.
Franklin said property owners are welcome to call her office at 772-462-1021 to ask about exemptions. Property tax bills go out in November.