Randolph calls on Orange County to reinvest funds in the Orange County Animal Shelter and Orlando Science Center

Orange County Tax Collector Scott Randolph today announced that the Orange County Tax Collector’s Office distributed more than $21.7 million in revenue, including nearly $19.5 million for the General Revenue Fund, to Orange County Government for Fiscal Year 2015-16, an increase of more than $3.2 million, or 17.6%, over the previous fiscal year. Under State law, tax collector offices return revenues, which derive from unused fees collected by the office, to their home counties and local taxing authorities.

Orange County will receive nearly $4.5 million more, or 30% above, the $15 million it budgeted for its General Revenue Fund, most of which is unencumbered revenue.

“With this increase, I am hopeful that the County will reinvest in the services that make our community such a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family, including the Orlando Science Center and the Orange County Animal Shelter, which desperately needs an air conditioning system,” Tax Collector Scott Randolph said.

Randolph said the increase in revenue is the result of several factors, including an increase in assessed values of real estate in Orange County and efficiencies achieved by the Tax Collector’s Office.

In a letter to Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs announcing the revenue increase, Tax Collector Randolph said his office successfully collected 98% of the tax roll before delinquency in Fiscal Year 2015-16, conducted 1.9 million transactions and worked diligently to eliminate a years-long backlog of County-held tax certificates.

The Florida Department of Revenue ranks the Orange County Tax Collector’s Office as the third most efficient tax collector office in Florida, and the most efficient of any of the large counties.

The Orange County Tax Collector’s Office is a fee-based office, meaning its operations are funded through the fees it collects. At the end of each fiscal year, after its budget is funded, the Tax Collector distributes all unused fees to Orange County government and several other local authorities, including the Orange County Library System, which support public education, public safety and other services residents enjoy in Orange County.

For Fiscal Year 2015-16, the Tax Collector’s Office collected $41.7 million in revenue; the Office’s budget was $19.2 million, leaving a balance of $22.4 million in unused fees. Of those unused fees, $21.7 million was distributed to Orange County, including nearly $19.5 million for the General Revenue Fund, and more than $357,000 was distributed to the Orange County Library System.

By the Numbers

Tax Collector’s Budget (FY 2015-16)

Revenue              $41,795,490
Expenditures     $19,297,944
Unused Fees      $22,497,546

Unused Fee Disbursements