On Nov. 3, Marion County voters decide whether to continue the school district's one-mill property tax for four more years, from July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2031. It is a renewal, not a new tax: it adds $1 per $1,000 of taxable value and has been on bills since voters first approved it in 2014.
Most property tax talk this election season has focused on the statewide homestead amendment and the county's parks bond. A third tax question gets less attention because it is not new: the school district's one-mill operating levy. Early voting starts Thursday. Here is what the question does and how it could show up in a purchase, a sale, or a rental budget. I am not telling anyone how to vote.
What happened
On Oct. 16, WKMG News 6's 2026 voter guide laid out the two county-level money questions Marion County voters will see on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. One is the parks bond. The other is the school millage renewal. Here are the facts from the voter guide and the school district's own published materials.
- The question. The ballot asks whether the Marion County School District's one mill ad valorem millage should be continued from July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2031, for operating expenses including safe schools, reading, physical education, art, music, early learning, library and media, and vocational programs, and for retaining state certified teachers and paraprofessionals, with oversight by an independent citizens financial oversight committee.
- The money. According to the district's March 10, 2026 FASTfacts, the one-mill levy generates approximately $41 million a year. School Board members unanimously approved the ballot language, which carries a four-year sunset.
- The history. Voters first approved the levy in 2014 and renewed it in 2018 and 2022. In 2022 it passed with 65% of the vote, according to the district's referendum oversight committee page. The current four-year term runs through June 30, 2027.
- What one mill means. The district describes one mill as $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value. Taxable value is the figure the Marion County Property Appraiser sets after exemptions. It is not your purchase price or what a buyer would pay today.
The other two tax questions on the same ballot
The parks bond would let the county borrow up to $140 million for parks, trails, and land and water conservation, repaid by a countywide levy of up to 0.35 mills. Central Florida Public Media puts that at up to $35 per $100,000 of taxable value, with each bond paid off within 20 years, at least 70% going to parks and trails, between 10% and 20% to land preservation, and up to 10% to program management. I covered it in detail in my Marion County parks bond post.
Statewide, Amendment 3 would expand the homestead exemption, but only for non-school taxes. That matters here: the school millage is a school tax, so Amendment 3 would not shrink this line on a homestead bill. My Amendment 3 breakdown walks through the details.
When and how to vote
The Marion County Supervisor of Elections lists general election early voting from Oct. 22 through Oct. 31, 8 AM to 6 PM. Vote-by-mail ballots must be received by the Supervisor of Elections office by 7 PM on Election Day to count. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.
What it means for buyers
- A yes vote is the status quo. Because this levy is already on current bills, a renewal does not add a new line. A no vote would mean the levy is not continued past June 30, 2027.
- Do not budget from the seller's tax bill. The bill you see on a listing reflects the seller's taxable value and exemptions. After a sale, the property is reassessed, and a long-held homestead can carry a much lower taxable value than a new owner will. Ask the Property Appraiser's office or your lender to estimate your bill, and read my 34471 property tax guide for how the pieces add up.
- Taxes are part of the payment. Freddie Mac's 30-year average was 7.40% on Oct. 15. At that rate, every dollar of escrow matters. Run principal, interest, taxes, and insurance together in the Ocala mortgage calculator, then confirm the numbers with a licensed lender.
What it means for sellers
- Buyers will ask about taxes. Have your latest tax bill and TRIM notice ready, and note that a buyer's bill may differ from yours.
- Keep your marketing neutral. It is fine to say a property is in Marion County and subject to county and school levies. Do not promise a tax outcome tied to the election, and do not frame a listing around how anyone should vote.
- Prorations are routine. Taxes are prorated at closing. Ask your title company or closing attorney how the split works for your date.
- Price from comparable sales. Buyers pay what closed sales support, not what the ballot says. For a current pricing read, start on my selling page or at sellocalahome.com.
What it means for investors
- Non-homestead owners feel millage directly. Rentals and second homes do not get the homestead exemption, so every mill applies to more of the value. Underwrite two scenarios: one with the school levy continued and the parks levy added, and one without either, then see whether the deal still works in the higher-cost case.
- Separate the existing cost from the possible new one. The school levy is already in your current numbers. The parks bond levy, if approved, would be the new line, capped at 0.35 mills.
- Do not assume you can pass it through. Higher carrying costs do not automatically mean higher rent. Price rent from current comparables.
- Compare areas before you commit. My Ocala ZIP code guide helps you compare, and a CPA can tell you how property taxes fit your overall tax picture.
What I'd do this week
- Everyone: read the sample ballot on the Supervisor of Elections site so you see the exact wording before Oct. 22.
- Buyers: ask your lender for a payment estimate that uses a new-owner tax figure, not the seller's current bill.
- Sellers: pull your latest tax bill and TRIM notice and add them to your listing documents.
- Investors: re-run each rental with and without the proposed 0.35 mill parks levy, and check that your cash flow holds.
- If you vote by mail: return your ballot early enough to arrive by 7 PM on Nov. 3.
Frequently asked questions
What is the one-mill school tax on the Marion County ballot?
It is a question asking whether the Marion County School District's one mill property tax should continue from July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2031. The money pays for school operating expenses and for retaining state certified teachers and paraprofessionals.
Is the Marion County school tax a new tax?
No. Voters first approved the one-mill levy in 2014 and renewed it in 2018 and 2022, when it passed with 65% of the vote. The current term runs through June 30, 2027, so a yes vote continues a levy that is already on tax bills.
How much does one mill cost an Ocala homeowner?
The school district describes one mill as $1 for every $1,000 of taxable value. Taxable value is set by the Marion County Property Appraiser after exemptions, so it is often lower than market value. Your TRIM notice shows yours.
Does Amendment 3 lower school property taxes in Marion County?
Amendment 3 would expand the homestead exemption for non-school taxes only. School levies, including this one-mill operating tax, would still apply to homestead property whether or not Amendment 3 passes.
When is early voting in Marion County for the November 2026 election?
The Marion County Supervisor of Elections lists early voting from Oct. 22 through Oct. 31, 8 AM to 6 PM. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, and vote-by-mail ballots must be received by 7 PM that day to count.
Should I wait until after the election to buy or sell a home in Ocala?
For most people, no. A renewal keeps an existing tax in place, and the parks levy is capped at 0.35 mills, so neither outcome is likely to change a sound purchase or sale in a big way. Base the decision on price and payment, and confirm numbers with a lender.
Sources
- WKMG News 6: 2026 Voter's Guide, what to know about Marion County's proposed charter amendments (Oct 16, 2026)
- Marion County Public Schools: FASTfacts, Vol. 21, Issue 15 (Mar 10, 2026)
- Marion County Public Schools: Independent Citizens Referendum Oversight Committee
- Central Florida Public Media: On the ballot, bonds to fund parks, trails and land conservation in Marion County (Oct 14, 2026)
- Marion County Supervisor of Elections: Early voting and vote-by-mail
- Freddie Mac: Mortgage Rates Hold Steady at 7.40% (Oct 15, 2026)
General information only, not legal, tax, insurance, or lending advice, and no guarantee of any price, value, or outcome. This post does not endorse any ballot question. Consult a licensed lender, a real estate attorney, a CPA, or an insurance agent for your situation, and the Marion County Property Appraiser for your taxable value.
Cristian Gonzalez, REALTOR, eXp Realty
FL License #3633800 · Ocala, Marion County, Florida · Published October 18, 2026