OKEECHOBEE – During their July 25 meeting, the Okeechobee County Commissioners voted to set the ad valorem county property tax rate at 7.9 mills.

That rate will be advertised in the Truth In Millage (TRIM) notices which will be mailed to county taxpayers. As the budget negotiations continue, commissioners can lower the tax rate, but cannot increase it.

The 7.9 mills rate is slightly lower than the current rate of 8.0 mills.

One mill equals $1 in taxes for every $1,000 of taxable property value.

“I’m good with 7.9. I want to see some kind of reduction,” said Commissioner Terry Burroughs.

“I concur,” said Commissioner Brad Goodbread.

“If we can even come down more, that would be fabulous, especially with some of the assessments going up,” said Commissioner Kelly Owens.

“If we can manage to squeak more out when the numbers are looked at a little more closely, all the better,” she added.

“I’m hesitant about going lower than 7.9,” said Commissioner Chair David Hazellief. “The property appraiser told us permits are flat. And it’s an election year, and the federal election controls everything.

“The economists aren’t predicting it will be better next year,” he added.