State leaders in Tallahassee have recently approved a proposal to reduce property taxes. The information below outlines where your Sunrise property tax dollars are spent currently and what potential outcomes could be for residents, businesses, and the community as a whole, if local property taxes are reduced or eliminated.

Why Property Taxes Matter?

Property taxes are one of the primary ways the City of Sunrise funds essential services that residents rely on every day. In Sunrise, your property taxes support:

• Police Officers, Firefighters, and emergency response
• Code Compliance and citywide community maintenance, such as road maintenance and median landscaping
• Parks, ballfields, playgrounds, splash pads, pools
• Senior Center, Tennis Club, Golf Club, Athletic Club, and Soccer Club
• Free Senior Bus Transportation and medical transportation services
• Free Paint Program and other free and low-cost City services
• Summer Camp and City Recreation programs
• Special events such as Tunes N Trucks, July 4^th Parade and Fireworks Celebration, Cultural Festival, Caribbean American Heritage Festival, Royal Egg Hunt, Earth Day, Woofstock, Holiday Lighting Event, Boo Bash, and more!

If property taxes are reduced, the City will have to evaluate each program, activity, service, and special event to determine if we can continue the program or if we need to reduce or eliminate the program. Without stable revenue from property taxes, there would be fewer resources for current services and significantly limit our ability to expand or improve services to our residents.

Only a portion of your property taxes funds programs and services in the City of Sunrise. Your property taxes also help to fund local Hospitals, Broward County Services, Broward County Public Schools, the Water Management District, and the Children’s Services Council. All of these services will be impacted if property taxes are reduced in Florida.

Who Would Benefit from the Proposed Tax Changes?

The proposal put forward will benefit homesteaded properties where the owner occupies the home as their primary residence. These properties already benefit from homestead exemptions and caps on annual assessment increases.

Learn more about a recent Florida Homestead Study and the key findings.

Who Could be Impacted by Higher Costs if Property Taxes are Reduced?

Under the current proposal, Sunrise would lose an estimated $10 million from property tax revenue in year one, and $16 million in year two.

• Homesteaded property owners would see tax savings, but the City would still need to fund essential and critical services such as Police Officers, Fire Rescue Services, Streets and Roadways, Community Maintenance, Parks, etc, which could result in higher service fees, higher property taxes for non-homesteaded properties, or increased special assessments for all residents.
• When a major revenue source is reduced for one group, the cost can shift to others—such as businesses and rental properties. This could be accomplished through higher property taxes for non-homesteaded properties and businesses. Higher costs for non-homesteaded properties, especially rental properties, may be passed on to tenants. This could result in higher rent prices for homes, condos, and apartments, making housing less affordable for families in Broward County.

What SERVICES COULD BE IMPACTED If Property Taxes Are Reduced?

The City of Sunrise has adopted an annual millage rate of 6.0543 for fiscal year 2025/2026. This millage rate has remained unchanged since 2009. Click the illustration to the right to see how each property tax dollar is distributed.

The cost of running a city does not disappear when a funding source is reduced. Instead, the cost of the program or service would need to be funded by other means or could be eliminated if there are no funds available.

If property taxes are reduced for homesteaded properties, possible impacts could include:

• Increased property taxes for non-homesteaded properties 
• Increases property taxes for businesses
• Increased fees or special assessments
• Reduction or elimination of programs that are not considered a core City service
• Reduced service levels
• Delayed repairs, maintenance, or upgrades to City parks, buildings, roadways, infrastructure, landscaping, etc.
• Postponed investments in community infrastructure

As a result, Sunrise residents could experience a lower level of service or elimination of programs in these areas:

• City maintenance and overall appearance
• Road and infrastructure repairs and improvements
• Parks and facility upkeep
• Youth and senior programs
• Recreation programs, special events, and community activities

The public can learn more about how tax dollars are currently divided in Florida.

A Community Conversation

While property tax reductions or eliminations may sound like a good idea, the effects would be felt by all residents in each of the cities impacted. Our goal is to provide clear, factual information regarding what the legislators are proposing so you can understand how it could affect you and your family.

You can learn more from the Florida League of Cities' frequently asked questions or email citymanager@sunrisefl.gov.