TRIM notice changes

A Waste Pro worker dumps a load of garbage at the Marion County transfer station on Baseline Road in Ocala in 2020. The landfill reached capacity in 2019 and solid waste is now transferred from Marion County to a landfill in Sumter County. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette file photo]

Marion County property tax payers will have to dig deeper in their pocketbooks if proposed 2026/2027 increases in solid waste and fire rescue fees are finalized following a public hearing on Sept 10.

The recently released Truth in Millage, or TRIM, notices listed proposed changes in ad valorem (variable and based upon property value) and non-ad valorem (fixed expense for services) taxes.

The biggest changes some taxpayers may encounter are the first increase in 20 years in the non-ad valorem solid waste assessment (or Municipal Service Benefit Unit) per household from $87 to $215 for 2026 and an increase in the non-ad valorem county fire service fee from $199.91 per dwelling unit to $283.97. The vacant land fire assessment will increase from $2.29 per acre to $3.95 per acre.

Ad valorem taxes on the TRIM notice include the application of homestead exemption and “caps,” for example, the Save Our Homes program, which may lead to an assessment reduction.

A notice released by the Marion County Board of County Commissioners and available at marionfl.org/TRIM states that the maximum millage rate on ad valorem taxes was voted in July to remain at 4.29 mills, for the fourth year in a row, to fund county government.

Public hearings are scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept.4 at the Marion County Board of County Commissioners Chambers at 601 S.E.  25th Ave. and at 5 p.m. Sept. 9 at the Marion County Schools Administrative Offices at 1614 E. Fort King St. The MCBCC will hold a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. Sept.10 at the Commission Chambers for public input on the proposed changes to establish non-ad valorem assessment rates for fire rescue, solid waste and stormwater services, according to the county website.

In addition to the ad valorem assessment included in the general fund for county fire and law enforcement, residential property owners countywide will find a separate non-ad valorem assessment for county fire service on their TRIM notice.

Property owners living in a Municipal Services Taxing Unit, or MSTU, like Silver Springs Shores and Marion Oaks, may find amounts levied for non-ad valorem services like road improvements. Property owners in incorporated cities in Marion County will have to check their TRIM notices for taxes levied for services in those locations.

Stormwater will collect an estimated $4,238, 655 in tax year 2026 and property owners can check their TRIM notice for any changes.

Fire rescue

Marion County Fire Rescue would have revenues estimated at $56,065,350 from assessments for tax year 2026, according to a letter included with the TRIM notices.

A notice sent regarding the county fire increase opens with a statement, available at marioncounty.org, from MCFR Chief James Banta, which states that the “brave men and women” of MCFR respond to nearly 100,000 calls annually, including emergency medical services, medical transports and fires. A small portion of Fire Rescue and EMS is funded through your property taxes, also known as ad valorem taxes. But you’ll also see a separate non-ad valorem fee on your TRIM notice that helps fund fire rescue,” he stated.

Banta’s statement explains that the MCFR assessment is considered every five years.

“The proposed fire rescue assessment fee…will support a full range of services, including fire suppression, fire prevention, firefighter training and readiness, technical rescue and hazardous materials response, advanced life support, firefighting infrastructure, and public education programs,” the statement indicates.

“For comparison, counties with similar populations—such as Lake, Collier and Sumter—charge $415, $304, and $355.58 per dwelling unit, respectively, for their fire assessment fees,” according to Banta’s statement.

Solid waste

Assessments for solid waste would amount to an estimated $36,524,953 in revenue for tax year 2026, according to a letter included with the TRIM notice.

An increase in the solid waste assessment is covered by a MCBCC statement also found at marioncounty.org, which indicates the fees are needed to operate 18 recycling centers and the Baseline Landfill and Transfer Center, all aimed at keeping the county clean and protecting natural resources with proper disposals.

The statement reads that residents who have waste picked up by a private hauler are still subject to paying the solid waste assessment as their waste is hauled to the landfill.

The statement claims the solid waste assessment has been constant for 20 years and officials have used “unique alternatives” to avoid increases, such as taking waste to the Heart of Florida Landfill in Lake Panasoffkee.

The Baseline Landfill in Marion County reached capacity in 2019. A county presentation on the solid waste operation stated that in FY 19/20, 142,774 tons of waste were hauled at an expense to the HOF landfill and in FY 24/25 the tonnage grew to an estimated 207,883 tons. The presentation indicated by 2031 the tonnage would be expected to rise to 264,485 tons, which will exceed available space at the Sumter County landfill.

The statement places the need for an increase on increased costs, increased volume and “the end of a contract” with the Heart of Florida Landfill.

The new assessment rate, which will be finalized after the Sept. 10 public hearing, is intended to “help create a long-term solution for trash disposal,” according to the statement.

To learn more, go to marionfl.org/TRIM

Anyone with questions about non-ad valorem assessments can call (352) 438-2650 and those with questions about a possible TRIM notice error can call (352) 368-8300.