Property tax
Property taxes are the primary source of funding for local governments in Florida, as revenue from the base sales tax mostly funds state government. Property taxes are ad valorem, meaning they are collected based on the value of the property, as assessed by each county's property appraiser. The amount taxed is determined by the millage rate levied by the various taxing authorities of the property's location. There are also special assessments, called municipal service benefit units (MSBU), authorized by county commissioners to fund special projects. These are often limited to specific communities or neighborhoods.
The amount owed by property owners is calculated by multiplying the assessed property value (less any deductions, like a Homestead exemption) by the sum millage rate of all taxing authorities. "Mills" are expressed as 1/1000th of a dollar, so a $100,000 property subject to 13 mills would pay $1,300 annually ($100,000 × 0.013).
Escambia County millage rates
Property taxes in Escambia County are paid to the Escambia County Tax Collector based on values assessed by the Escambia County Property Appraiser.
| Taxing authority | Millage rate[1] |
|---|---|
| Escambia County | 8.756 |
| Escambia County School Board | 7.894 |
| City of Pensacola | 4.598 |
| Town of Century | 0.764 |
| Downtown Improvement Board | 2.000 |
| Emerald Coast Utilities Authority | 0.050 |
| Escambia County Sheriff's Office MSBU | 0.747 |
Santa Rosa County millage rates
Property taxes in Santa Rosa County are paid to the Santa Rosa County Tax Collector based on values assessed by the Santa Rosa County Property Appraiser.
| Taxing authority | Millage rate[2] |
|---|---|
| Santa Rosa County | 6.6175 |
| Santa Rosa County School Board | 7.2070 |
| City of Gulf Breeze | 1.6283 |
| City of Milton | 2.7500 |
| Town of Jay | 2.0000 |
| Avalon-Mulat Fire Department | 0.8000 |
| Midway Fire Department | 1.4000 |
| Northwest Florida Water Management District | 0.0500 |