Council adopts FY26 tax warrant; city uses 2012 assessment pending county valuations

The Milford City Council adopted the fiscal year 2026 tax warrant, authorizing the city to prepare and issue property tax bills based on the city’s current assessment rolls. During a staff presentation, finance officials reported total assessed value figures and the tax-rate calculation used to produce the initial tax roll.
Finance staff said the city’s tax roll shows total assessed property value of $1,465,000,000, including $368,000,000 in exempt parcels (municipal and nonprofit). Using a tax rate of $0.60 per $100 of assessed value produced an initial gross tax revenue figure of about $6,500,000; the presentation noted 240 applicants were approved for a senior credit this year reducing the roll by $55,009.20.
Council members asked whether the city assessment figures match county valuations. Staff explained Milford is split between Kent and Sussex counties; Sussex County approved assessed values in May but the city did not have time to incorporate those new county values into the initial FY26 roll. Officials said the city currently uses assessments produced under its 2012 valuation and that adopting county assessment data would be a separate action later this year (likely December or January) once the city can integrate both counties’ data via its new Tyler software.
Council moved to accept the assessments as presented and vote records show the motion passed with no recorded opposition. Staff emphasized the amount presented is tentative and could change if and when the council elects to adopt county-assessed values, and clarified that assessment appeals would be processed at the county level if the city adopts the county rolls.
The adopted warrant authorizes the city to proceed with preparing tax bills for FY26 under the presented tax roll; any future adjustments tied to county assessment adoption will be considered by council in a later meeting.