ORLANDO, Fla. — Volusia County leaders approved a tax increase for homes across the unincorporated part of the county to pay for increasing stormwater utility costs. 

Though, the increase won’t be as much as county stormwater administrators wanted.

What You Need To Know

  • The Volusia County Council approved raising the county’s non-ad valorem assessment fee by 50 cents, from $6 per month to $6.50 a month beginning in the 2023 tax year

  • County stormwater administrators say a five-year forecast of the stormwater utility fund showed the county would be at a deficit within two years if more revenue isn’t created

  • County staff originally recommended raising the fee to $7 a month, and $8 a month the year after

  • Volusia County Councilmembers say they’ll wait to see what comes out of a rate study to see if they need to raise the stormwater utility tax anymore

On Tuesday, the Volusia County Council approved raising the county’s non-ad valorem assessment fee by 50 cents, from $6 per month to $6.50 a month beginning in the 2023 tax year. 

County stormwater administrators say a five-year forecast of the stormwater utility fund showed the county would be at a deficit within two years if more revenue isn’t created. 

County staff originally recommended raising the fee to $7 a month, and $8 a month the year after. After discussion, the county council decided a 50-cent increase was enough.

Homeowners along the St. Johns River in Volusia County saw major flooding after Hurricanes Ian and Nicole in 2022.  

Marie Johnson says her home flooded, forcing her family to live elsewhere for months. They also lost most of their family’s belongings.

“We lost everything,” said Johnson. “I came in with garbage bags and throwing the kids stuff away was the hardest. It was pretty hard.”

Johnson and her family live near the St. Johns River, so they know there’s always a flooding risk.

But she says in the 25 years she’s lived at the home, the flooding never was this bad.

“Four times it’s flooded before, but this was the worse and this was the hardest one to go through," she said.

Johnson says her husband and son tried to help water drain better in front of their home, but she’d like help from the county and is willing to pay a bit more to get that help. 

In the meantime, her family continues to rebuild their home and their lives. She says it’s worth it to raise her kids in a home she grew up in.

“We were able to survive it, just praying it doesn’t happen again,” said Johnson.

Volusia County Councilmembers say they’ll wait to see what comes out of a rate study to see if they need to raise the stormwater utility tax anymore.