Wellington residents will likely see a slightly higher tax bill this year, even though the village has kept the same millage rate, but local leaders assured the public that they will try to reduce it in the years to come.
The Wellington Village Council approved an unchanged property tax rate of 2.47 mills and a $150.4 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year at its second and final budget hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 22. With the same millage rate, the village will be collecting an additional $1.47 million in ad valorem tax revenue through property value increases.
Village staff was able to reduce the budget by $5.5 million from the previous year due to fewer capital improvements, the elimination of positions, leasing of major equipment and no election expense. The budget is able to fund all recurring operations and rising fixed costs even without drawing on the general fund reserve balance.
“The council is committed to keeping Wellington’s tax burden as low as possible, and this budget reflects that mandate,” Deputy Village Manager Tanya Quickel said. “Staff didn’t wait to be told to find the savings. We built this process around finding them.”
According to staff’s presentation, responses from the village’s 2026 budget survey indicated that residents ranked law enforcement, community and special events, infrastructure maintenance, and park and athletic facilities as most important, among other services. This feedback, along with input from the council, was directly built into the budget.
“What residents told us matters most is what we funded first,” Quickel said.
Councilman Johnny Meier, throughout the budget process, has reiterated that the council should decrease the millage rate. He stressed that prices continue to rise, and lowering it could give relief to residents.
“We should be doing whatever we can to decrease the burden on people out there because things just continue to get more and more expensive,” Meier said. “I, for one, believe we have the ability to decrease the millage rate.”
Other council members were open to lowering the millage rate and reworking the budget but made it clear that doing so now would not be prudent. Amendment 3 on the ballot this November could significantly reduce property tax revenue for all municipalities across Florida. If passed by 60 percent of voters, the amendment would increase homestead exemptions for non-school taxes to $150,000 in 2027, $250,000 in 2028, and adjusted for inflation thereafter. Wellington alone could face millions less in its budget to fund services.
“If we cut today, and Amendment 3 passes, we’re looking at a whole different scenario that no one’s going to be happy with because no one’s going to win,” Vice Mayor Maria Antuña said.
The council required a supermajority vote to keep the millage rate the same. Councilwoman Amanda Silvestri joined the rest of the council to pass a motion to approve the unchanged tax rate at 2.47 mills 4-1, with Meier dissenting. However, Silvestri explained that she wanted a reduction next year and would not vote again to maintain the current millage rate. The council subsequently unanimously approved the budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
In other business:
- The council postponed consideration of a resolution to decide whether to waive certain impact fees and building permit fees for two new affordable housing developments. The two projects, located on Van Gogh Road and Velazquez Blvd., will be the first affordable housing units to be built in Wellington under the Live Local Act. State law requires local governments, even without approval from local leaders, to allow multifamily and mixed-use residential developments in areas zoned for commercial or industrial use to increase affordable and workforce housing. The site was annexed into the village in 2024.
- The council approved a conditional use permit for four building heights in the Village Landing development, formerly known as K-Park, which are above the village’s 35-foot threshold. The heights range from 37 to 47.5 feet. Developers from Related Ross began construction on the project off State Road 7 earlier this year. The site is expected to open in the fall of 2028 with a mixed-use, walkable commercial and pedestrian plaza.
