Walton County Sets Public Hearing on Fire Rescue Assessments for Freeport Property Owners
The Walton County Board of County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on August 25, 2026, to consider reimposing fire rescue special assessments for the upcoming fiscal year — a move that directly affects property owners in Freeport, Paxton, and unincorporated Walton County.
The hearing, scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at the South Walton Courthouse Annex at 31 Coastal Centre Boulevard in Santa Rosa Beach, will gather public comment on proposed assessments for the Walton County Municipal Service Benefit Unit for Fire Rescue Services. The MSBU funds Walton County Fire Rescue operations across the areas it covers, which include the unincorporated county, the City of Paxton, and the City of Freeport. Areas within the Liberty, Argyle, and South Walton independent fire control districts are excluded from the assessment.
Under the proposed rate schedule for Fiscal Year 2026-27, residential properties would be assessed at $75.00 per dwelling unit. Commercial and institutional properties would pay $0.12 per square foot, industrial and warehouse properties $0.01 per square foot, and agricultural or vacant land $0.07 per acre. The county also published a maximum rate schedule for future fiscal years, allowing residential assessments to rise to as much as $150.00 per dwelling unit and commercial and institutional rates to $0.23 per square foot, with the Board able to set rates anywhere between the initial and maximum figures in subsequent years without additional notice.
The assessments will be collected on the ad valorem tax bill mailed in November 2026, as authorized by section 197.3632, Florida Statutes. Failure to pay the assessments can result in a tax certificate being issued against the property, potentially leading to loss of title. Property owners who wish to appeal any decision made by the Board at the hearing will need a verbatim record of the proceedings, including testimony and evidence presented.
Copies of the ordinance, the initial and final assessment resolutions, the preliminary rate resolution, and the updated assessment roll for Fiscal Year 2026-27 are available for inspection at the Walton County Clerk’s Office, located at the Walton County Courthouse, 571 East Nelson Avenue in DeFuniak Springs, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Residents with questions can contact the Walton County Director of Administrative Services at (850) 892-8155. Persons needing special accommodations or an interpreter to participate in the hearing should contact the County Administrator’s office at the same number at least two business days in advance.
Originally reported by the Walton County Board of County Commissioners.
Image: Walton County Fire Rescue
