Daytona Beach City Commission Passes Budget, Rolls Back Millage Rate

The Daytona Beach City Commission last week approved the city budget for the Fiscal Year 2026-27. At their budget meeting on Wednesday, September 23, the City Commission passed a $402 million budget and approved a rolled-back millage rate of 5.7300. Both the final budget figure and millage rate were reduced at Wednesday’s meeting, due to a change of heart from two city commissioners. Earlier this month, the City Commission voted 6-1 to tentatively approve a 5.9300 millage rate. This would keep property taxes the same by rate, but it would increase bills as property values rise. In effect, property owners would pay the same percentage of a higher number. When the City Commission approved the 5.9300 millage rate, there was only one dissenting vote: Zone 4’s Stacy Cantu. In the second vote, she was joined by Zone 1’s Monica Paris and Zone 3’s Quanita May. Though the 5.9300 millage rate still had a majority of the City Commission backing it, cities are required by law to have a supermajority when voting to pass a tax rate which would increase residents’ bills. A one-vote majority was not enough.