Palm Coast council adopts FY2026 budget, approves 4.0893 millage in 4-1 vote

The City of Palm Coast City Council approved a tentative millage rate of 4.0893 mills and adopted the fiscal year 2026 budget during a special budget hearing on Sept. 24, 2025, at the John Netz Community Wing of City Hall. The council voted 4–1 to adopt the millage and later adopted the final budget by unanimous vote.

The vote on the millage followed presentations by Gwen Ragsdale, the city's budget and procurement manager, and extended council discussion about the budget's drivers. Ragsdale told the council the proposed budget includes large capital and utility funds discussed in prior workshops and that the city's proposed water and wastewater capital program accounts for a major portion of the increase. She said there have been no changes to the proposed budget since the first public hearing on Sept. 10.

Why it matters: the millage and budget set the tax rate and spending plan the city will use for the coming fiscal year. Council members and public commenters framed the debate around taxpayer impacts, debt for large water and wastewater projects and targeted employee pay increases.

Council debate focused on the size…