Common Assessment Questions

What is the stormwater utility fee?

What is the solid waste fee?

Why is this fee necessary?

Who pays this fee?

Isn't this just another tax?

When and how do I pay this fee?

When did the County start charging this fee?

I have homestead exemption, why am I being charged?

My neighbor did not get a letter - don't they have to pay?

My property is vacant, why should I have to pay?

I have a well or septic tank. Why should I be charged?

What does the County do with this money?

Stormwater doesn't leave my property, why should I have to pay?

The fee is used to support stormwater facility maintenance and operation; fund the Stormwater Engineering Section to plan, design, and construct stormwater treatment and flood prevention projects; to investigate drainage problems; to ensure Leon County compliance with state, federal, and local stormwater permits; and to monitor water quality in County lakes.

What is the solid waste fee?

If you have Waste Management services (i.e. your garbage is collected curbside), the fee paid to the collection service only covers the cost of collecting and hauling the trash to a Leon County Solid Waste facility. The cost for disposing of the garbage is paid from the special assessment. If you haul you garbage to one of the County Rural Waste Service Centers, this special assessment is used to cover that service as well.

For additional questions regarding the solid waste assessment please call 606-1800.

The stormwater utility fee is needed to address flooding, impassable streets and property damage which occurs during heavy rains. The water run-off from the rains carry pollutants from streets, parking lots and driveways into our streams, lakes and into ground water.

Rain recharges our aquifer system - the source of Leon County's drinking water. If rainwater runoff is not handled properly, we risk contamination of our water supply. The potential of gasoline, motor oil and other chemicals in out natural water supply is very great.

Who pays this fee?

Anyone who owns developed property in the unincorporated area of Leon County will pay this fee. This includes all state, county, city, and school facilities as well as churches. There are no exemptions. The City of Tallahassee currently levies a $57.00 annual stormwater fee spread over 12 months on the monthly utility bill of City residents.

No. This utility fee is considered a service for stormwater improvements and is allowed in accordance with Section 403.0893 of the Florida Statutes.

Although a utility fee is considered an additional cost to residents, it is not a tax on the ad valorem value of a particular property. Basically, this fee is unrelated to property values or homestead exemptions and, as such, will require all owners of improved property to pay the proposed fee.

The fee will appear on the annual property tax bill mailed out by the Tax Collector's Office. This fee is paid by the property owner or the mortgage company as part of the annual tax bill.

The stormwater fee was established in 1991, charging $20 per year. The solid waste fee was established in 1995 at $40 per year. No increases have been approved since then.

Homestead exemption does not apply to special assessments.

My neighbor did not get a letter - don't they have to pay?

The letter is sent if there is an increase to the amount charged to the property, or if the property was recently identified on the Property Appraiser's records as having a structure.

My property is vacant, why should I have to pay?

If there are no structures or impervious surfaces on the parcel, call 606-1500 to report that there may be a billing error. An inspector will visit the site to confirm that there are no structures or impervious surfaces on the property and a correction will be made.

I have a well or septic tank. Why should I be charged?

Having a well or septic tank does not effect stormwater or solid waste fees.

What does the County do with this money?

The fee is used to support stormwater facility maintenance and operation; fund the Stormwater Engineering Section to plan, design, and construct stormwater treatment and flood prevention projects; to investigate drainage problems; to ensure Leon County compliance with state, federal, and local stormwater permits; and to monitor water quality in County lakes.

Stormwater doesn't leave my property, why should I have to pay?

All County residents receive the benefit of drainage maintenance of County facilities such as public roads (i.e. Miccosukee Road) which in turn protect our public waterbodies (i.e. Lake Munson). Without these publicly maintained drainage systems, roads may become impassable during rains and lakes could quickly become unhealthy and overloaded with pollutants.