Cocoa council adopts proposed millage unchanged; rollback resolution also approved

City Council voted to adopt a proposed millage rate of 6.9532 mills for fiscal year 2025'26 after a contentious public discussion about whether to reduce property tax revenue and ease homeowners' bills. The resolution establishing the rollback rate (6.7367 mills) was approved unanimously; the proposed millage rate carried 3'2 with Mayor Blake, Councilman Hearn and Councilman Gornes voting yes and Deputy Mayor Weeks and Councilwoman Koss voting no.\n\nCity Finance staff said the proposed rate matches the rate used to build the draft budget and would generate approximately $742,000 in net additional revenue at the 95% collection assumption the state requires. Staff explained the rollback rate would generate roughly $340,000, a roughly $402,000 difference in general-fund revenue that would need to be cut or found elsewhere to avoid advertising a tax increase. City Manager Stockton Witten told the council: "Any rate above the rollback is technically a tax increase."\n\nCouncil members debated alternatives, including a motion to set the tentative rate at 6.85 mills; that motion failed and the council approved the staff-recommended proposed millage. The council set the first public budget hearing for Sept. 3, 2025, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Staff will file required DR-420 forms with the Florida Department of Revenue by Aug. 4 as required by TRIM rules.\n\nDiscussion also covered budget priorities noted in the presentation: a general fund totaling about $54.995 million, water and sewer at roughly $98.4 million, and capital needs including street paving, police vehicle replacements, and equipment for fire and public works. No final budget adoption occurred; the vote establishes the proposed rate and hearing schedule required by state law.