Stonecrest council adopts 2025 millage rate of 1.257 mills after public hearing

The Stonecrest City Council on June 26 unanimously adopted a 2025 property tax millage rate of 1.257 mills after a public hearing required by state law.

The millage vote followed a presentation from Revenue Manager Eric Hawkins explaining that a mill is $1 in tax per $1,000 of assessed value and that the proposed 1.257 mills would yield roughly $2.8 million in revenue and represents a 1.53% percentage increase for properties that were reassessed upward by the county. Hawkins said the city met state notice and hearing requirements and that the proposed rate would remain the same as the prior year’s tentative rate.

City staff and council framed the matter as a technical step under state law. Mayor Jasmine Cabo and other council members emphasized that much of an individual homeowner’s bill is driven by county and school millage, not the city’s share. Council members and staff explained that the city’s 1.257 mills produce about $2 million of an $18 million operating budget and that Stonecrest’s millage has been unchanged for four consecutive years.

During the hearing, members of the public raised questions about how reassessments and homestead exemptions affect individual bills. Resident A. Caulfield said her Chaparral neighborhood’s assessments rose substantially and asked for clarification; Eric Hawkins and other staff explained that property appraisals are administered by the county’s tax appraisal office and that the tax commissioner issues bills. Council discussed a county-administered property-value freeze and homestead exemptions as possible mitigations for homeowners. Hawkins said homeowners may apply to the county for a freeze and that the city will research and return with accurate information.

Council opened and closed the public hearing and then moved to adopt the resolution fixing the 2025 millage rate. The final vote to adopt 1.257 mills was 5–0.

The council directed staff to follow up with more detailed information on homestead exemptions and the county property-value freeze and to provide clarifying public guidance on how county reassessments interact with the city millage.

The adopted millage will be used in the city’s 2026 budget development process; staff said the allocation of additional revenues will be finalized during that budget process.