Brooksville City Council Approves Tentative Fiscal Year 2026 Budget with Increased Millage Rate

The first public budget hearing and special city council meeting for Brooksville took place on September 3, 2025, at 5:01 PM. The meeting commenced with an invocation led by the vice mayor, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

The council moved quickly to the agenda, approving it unanimously with a vote of 5-0. The primary focus of the meeting was the public hearing for the fiscal year 2026 budget. The city clerk presented the tentative budget, highlighting that the proposed ad valorem tax rate for fiscal year 2026 is set at 6.5 mills. This rate represents a 13.23% increase over the current year's rollback rate of 5.7407 mills.

The city manager provided further insights into the budget, noting that it has been balanced through various measures, including $1.5 million in budget cuts across all departments and the approval of a fire assessment to support the fire department's funding. Additionally, the city has secured a reduction of approximately $299,000 in the sheriff's contract for the fiscal year 2025-2026. The budget also maintains a minimum reserve of about $2.6 million, with plans to build this amount for the city's sustainability.

The city manager concluded the presentation by mentioning a startup allocation of approximately $480,000 for a Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The meeting then opened the floor for questions from the council regarding the budget details.

Overall, the meeting underscored the city's efforts to manage its finances responsibly while addressing essential services and future planning. Further discussions and decisions regarding the budget are expected in subsequent meetings.