Commissioners in Seminole County, where elected leaders have long prided themselves on keeping taxes low, voted Tuesday to hike property taxes for the first time in nearly two decades.

Under the higher rate, the owner of a home with a taxable value of $300,000 would see a $144 property tax jump.

But it’s not a done deal. Commissioners will vote on the final tax rate Sept. 23, before Seminole’s new fiscal plan goes into effect on Oct. 1.

Acknowledging their decision was not easy, commissioners said Seminole — like nearly every other local government across the state — is struggling with soaring insurance costs, persistent inflation, state financial mandates and expanding mass transit services. Seminole also is grappling with an increasing number of sheriff’s deputies seeking better pay at other law enforcement agencies.

Commissioners — all Republicans — admitted they’ve waited too many years to either raise taxes or look for other revenue sources to pay for the increasing amount of services that a growing number of citizens have expected.

The last time Seminole raised its countrywide general property tax rate was in 2009, to $4.90 per $1,000 of a property’s taxable value. But commissioners then lowered it to about $4.88 in 2010, where it has remained ever since.

“I’m no fan of having to pay higher taxes,” Commission Chair Jay Zembower said. “But the reality is that this government has been incurring the rising costs of everything for the last four to five years and have not passed [costs] along. Well, those chickens have come home to roost. … The reality is that if the county is going to continue to run at a high-service level…it’s got to be funded. We can’t keep kicking that can down the road.”

In a 4-to-1 vote, commissioners agreed to raise the general property tax rate to nearly $5.38, a jump of just over 10%. That increase would bring in an additional $27.2 million in revenue next fiscal year, according to county documents.

Commissioner Bob Dallari cast the lone no vote, saying the county needs to look for more efficiencies within the budget.

“Raising taxes can be impactful to the working citizens and small businesses,” he said. “Everyone is looking for tax relief, and who wouldn’t be looking for tax relief?”

According to state law, commissioners have to set a tentative tax rate by August, when the Property Appraiser’s Office mails out to property owners the annual “truth in millage” or TRIM notices. The notices provide information on a property’s taxable valuation and next year’s tax rates. After Tuesday, commissioners can reduce the rate — but not increase it — before Oct. 1.

More than a dozen residents at Tuesday’s commission meeting spoke out against the tax increase, saying the county should look at cutting costs instead.

“Things can be cut, I’m sorry to say that,” Mike Johnson of Altamonte Springs said. “A lot of this stuff can be privatized.”

But Commissioner Andria Herr disagreed.

“We can’t cut our way out of this,” she said. “That’s the reality.”

Julie Rechner of Lake Mary said the tax increase is going to financially hurt residents.

“There has to be a better way to enact fiscal responsibility than putting it on the backs of citizens,” she said.

Still, without any property tax increase, county officials said Seminole would face a $34 million shortfall in the county’s general fund next fiscal year as revenues are forecast to reach $345.6 million while expenditures will come to $379.6 million. The county’s general fund pays for most of the county’s day-to-day operations.

Seminole’s overall budget next year is proposed to be $1.2 billion, or an 11.7% increase from this year’s financial plan of $1.1 billion. The overall budget includes paying for the Sheriff’s Office, county jail, fire department, water and sewer, and offices for Clerk of Courts, Property Appraiser, and Supervisor of Elections.

In the last five years, costs for energy have gone up by 49%; personnel — including employee salaries and retirement benefits — by 54%; and medical insurance claims by 78%, according to county documents.

At a June budget workshop, Sheriff Dennis Lemma said his agency is losing deputies to other law enforcement organizations who offer higher salaries and signing bonuses. A starting salary for a new Seminole deputy is $58,024 a year, among the lowest in Central Florida. Oviedo, for example, recently agreed to a $68,000 starting salary for police officers.

To make up for the salary deficit, Lemma proposed his agency’s budget for next fiscal year to be just over $196 million. That’s a $16.2 million jump, nearly 9%, from the current fiscal year.

County officials also cited unfunded mandates, the financial responsibilities enacted by the state Legislature and passed on to local governments without compensation.

Those mandates include costs for Medicaid, the medical examiner’s office, health department, veterans services, Florida retirement contributions and record keeping, which will shoulder Seminole with an additional $150 million in costs next year.

Seminole also faces a $15 million bill next year for Lynx bus service and its new micro transit service that starts in October, as well as a $12 million cost for SunRail commuter train service.

In addition to the general property tax rate, property owners within unincorporated Seminole also pay taxes for fire, ambulance, roads and storm water. The overall tax rate for residents not in a municipality would be about $13.21 per $1,000 of a property’s taxable value.