Lee schools move forward with taxpayer credits after tax dispute

LEESBURG — The Lee County Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday night to accept an amended 2025 rollback millage rate and provide relief to taxpayers affected by last year’s tax digest error through a credit on future tax bills, bringing one chapter of a months-long controversy closer to resolution.

The board approved two separate actions during its June business meeting. First, members unanimously adopted an amended rollback rate of 13.539 mills provided by the Lee County Board of Tax Assessors. The board then unanimously approved a resolution directing that the difference in revenue generated by the erroneous rollback rate and the amended rollback rate be returned to taxpayers through a credit applied to 2026 property tax bills.

Before the vote, Superintendent Kathleen Truitt addressed the board and the public regarding the district’s position.

“We have been provided with an adjusted PT32 with an adjusted rate of 13.539 mills,” she said. “We, as a board of education, set our budget using the total digest based on the fiscal needs of the district, not the rollback rate. If we had had this new number in September, we would have set our millage rate at 15.96 as communicated and held three public hearings. However through no fault of ours, we need to consider the corrected information provided to us by the board of tax assessors.”

The amended rollback rate stems from an error discovered in the county’s 2025 rollback calculations. The issue has generated months of public debate, prompted calls for refunds and become a focal point in recent local elections.

Board member Trey Newell, whose term is ending after an unsuccessful re-election bid, delivered an emotional statement reflecting on both his eight years of service and the controversy that has surrounded the school system in recent months.

“I’m incredibly proud of what the school system has accomplished during that time,” Newell said. “The accomplishments of our students never cease to amaze me. Certainly, these past eight years have been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. However, the last six months have been some of the most difficult and discouraging I’ve ever experienced.”

Newell said criticism directed at the school system over the tax issue had been particularly difficult because the rollback calculation was outside the district’s control.

“I have watched political games being played, false information spread on social media, and outright lies told about our schools,” he said.

Despite the controversy, Newell praised district employees and defended the performance of the school system.

“In my opinion, this school system is operating as well as it has at any point during my eight years of service, if not better,” he said. “I want the administration, faculty and staff to know that none of that diminishes the outstanding work you do every day.”

Other board members also spoke in support of the district.

Board member Fran Walls, a longtime school bus driver and Lee County resident, urged residents to seek information directly from school officials rather than relying on social media.

“Don’t listen to everything that you hear. Don’t listen to Facebook,” Walls said.

Before the vote to amend the rollback rate, Vice Chair Claire Lang emphasized the board’s commitment to transparency and accountability. She also expressed hope that county entities could move forward cooperatively.

“We hope that, going forward, all of the affected entities will work together in a cooperative and cohesive manner for the betterment of the students and the community of Lee County,” she said.

Following adoption of the amended rollback rate, the board considered how to return the excess revenue generated under the erroneous calculation. District officials presented two options: issuing direct refunds or applying credits to future tax bills. Truitt noted that any solution would require coordination with the Lee County Tax Commissioner’s Office because the school district does not directly assess property taxes or issue tax bills.

After discussion, board members approved the credit option, allowing affected taxpayers to receive the adjustment through their 2026 property tax bills.

The votes concluded one of the most contentious issues faced by the school district in recent years. While debate surrounding the rollback error has dominated public meetings and local political discussions for months, board members repeatedly stressed Thursday night that their focus remains on students and the district’s educational mission.