When we talk about property taxes, the conversation often starts and ends with the number at the bottom of the bill. What’s usually missing is a clear understanding of what that bill actually represents — and just as importantly, what it does not.

When I speak with residents, I often walk through a property tax bill line by line. Many are surprised to learn that Cooper City receives only a fraction of what they pay. Large portions go to other taxing districts, including Broward County and the school system. Those portions are set outside the city’s control and do not disappear under most of the proposed property tax reforms being discussed in Tallahassee.

Lisa Mallozzi is a Cooper City commissioner. (courtesy, Lisa Mallozzi)

What is directly affected is the city’s share — and in Cooper City, that matters more than many people realize.

Cooper City does not have a large commercial or industrial tax base. About 91% of our city is residential, and 62% of those homes are homesteaded. That means the city relies primarily on property taxes to fund municipal services. Eliminating property taxes on homesteaded properties would result in an estimated $17 million loss in revenue — funding that currently supports essential city operations residents depend on every day.

That context is often lost when residents say they want to “cut city taxes.” In reality, cities are being asked to do more with a relatively small slice of the overall tax bill, even as service demands continue to grow.

Those services begin the moment your day starts. Clean drinking water is delivered to your home. Wastewater is safely treated. Roads, sidewalks, drainage systems and neighborhood trees are maintained. Parks, sports fields and recreational facilities provide places for families to gather, while libraries offer free access to books, technology and learning.

When something goes wrong, trained firefighters and law enforcement officers respond, without a bill, fee or toll. Public safety, like infrastructure, exists because communities pool resources to provide services the private market often cannot deliver equitably.

This is the hidden machinery of local government. It’s easy to overlook precisely because it works. There’s no invoice after a fire truck responds. No toll booth on neighborhood streets. No entrance fee at a city park.

Property tax reform discussions often focus on relief, which is understandable. But relief has tradeoffs. When the city’s portion of the tax bill is reduced, the services residents interact with most directly are affected first. Cities don’t control school funding formulas or countywide obligations — but they are responsible for the infrastructure and services that shape daily life.

This isn’t about defending a line item on a bill. It’s about recognizing the value of a system that delivers clean water, safe streets, emergency response and public spaces every day — quietly, reliably and often invisibly.

The next time you look at your property tax bill, look beyond the total. Ask where each dollar goes. The city’s portion may be smaller than many assume, but in a community like Cooper City, it’s what keeps everyday life running smoothly.

Local government doesn’t just respond when something goes wrong. It works constantly, in the background, to make sure most days go right.

Lisa Mallozzi is a Cooper City commissioner.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2026/02/18/what-we-miss-when-we-talk-about-property-taxes-opinion/