PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — The Punta Gorda City Council voted Wednesday to adopt a tentative millage rate equal to the calculated rollback rate and to approve a tentative all‑funds budget for fiscal 2025–26.

Council approved a tentative millage rate of 3.8686 mils, the council was told is the city’s calculated rollback rate, and set the final public hearing on the millage and budget for 5:01 p.m. Sept. 24 in the Lashley Community Room. The council also approved a tentative all‑funds budget of $203,669,943 (net of interfund eliminations: $186,176,005), with a staff presentation showing an ad valorem revenue estimate of $19,340,100 at a 96% collection assumption.

City finance director Kristen Simeone reviewed the budget numbers and the changes since the budget message, noting adjustments in utility financing and transfers, and an informational change that reduced beginning reserves in the general construction fund after a council‑approved capital project. Simeone also explained the city’s approach to matching service levels to revenues and that capital projects such as the paving and drainage programs and equipment replacements remain funded.

The council and members of the public used the budget public hearing to press staff on the real‑world effect of the numbers. One resident asked for an estimate of the change in a typical homeowner’s bill; Simeone said that for a homesteaded property with a $500,000 taxable value the net change (considering a 2.9% taxable value increase) would be about $16 annually at the adopted tentative rates. Residents pressed on other local charges (canal and water assessments) that are rising even as the millage was reduced to the rollback rate.

Nut graf: The council’s action preserves the city’s current tax rate while approving a $203.7 million tentative spending plan, and it sets the formal final hearing date. The tentative budget reflects staff adjustments for planned staffing, infrastructure maintenance and replacements and conservatively projects reserves over a five‑year pro forma.

In addition to adopting the millage and budget, council discussed several program allocations contained in the tentative budget. Councilmembers debated whether to keep in place a pair of small nonprofit contributions (one to United Way, one to a locally‑started nonprofit) and directed staff that any funds would not be spent until the council had further discussion; those budget lines will remain until council takes final action.

The council closed the budget public hearing and later voted to place the final hearings on Sept. 24 at 5:01 p.m. in the Lashley Community Room.