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Hillsborough commissioners adopt FY2026 millage and balanced $12 billion budget; millage 2.76% above rollback
Summary
The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners voted 7-0 to adopt a fiscal year 2026 budget and millage rate that the county says responds to inflation, population growth and public-safety needs. The adopted aggregate millage is 8.7421 mils, a 2.76% increase over the rollback rate.
Hillsborough County commissioners on Thursday voted 7-0 to adopt the fiscal year 2026 millage rates and a balanced budget that county staff said totals a little more than $12 billion. County budget staff told the board the proposed aggregate millage rate of 8.7421 mils is 2.76% above the aggregate rollback rate of 8.5073 mils.
County budget director Kevin Brickey read the statutorily required figures into the public record, saying, “The calculated change in the millage represents a 2.76% increase from the aggregate rollback rate.” He told commissioners the budget reflects higher inflationary pressures, population growth and continuing costs to deliver local government services.
The budget adopted Thursday includes an operating portion of roughly $4.4 billion, of which staff said 24% is dedicated to public safety. Brickey said the overall budget increase from the current year is about $1.7 billion, and that roughly three-quarters of that increase is for capital spending. The tentative countywide general fund was listed at $1.6 billion; staff said the unincorporated-area general fund is about $900 million. The adopted millage package also lists component rates for 2025: general county (general revenue) 5.4608 mils; unincorporated-area municipal services taxing unit 4.6163 mils; library services 0.5583 mils; and voted general obligation debt for environmentally sensitive lands 0.0604 mils.
County Administrator Bonnie Wise told the board the budget preserves the county’s AAA bond ratings and begins to partially replenish catastrophic reserves. “I’m proud that the tentative fiscal year 26 budget includes a millage rate reduction for all county residents, whether living in one of the three cities or in the unincorporated area,” Wise said, and added the budget continues investments in public safety, infrastructure and services for a growing population.
Commissioners highlighted transportation and stormwater investments in their remarks. One commissioner noted the board is presenting $134.7 million for transportation in FY2026, with roughly $73.8 million allocated to the unincorporated area and another $46.9 million from a separate CIT allocation, calling those figures likely record levels for the county.
Before the vote the board moved through required procedural steps: staff confirmed the numbers, a motion to adopt the millage resolution was made by Commissioner Boles and seconded by Commissioner Myers and carried 7-0, and the motion to adopt the budget resolution was made by Commissioner Willstell and seconded by Commissioner Myers and carried 7-0. The chair announced the millage and budget resolutions had been reviewed for legal sufficiency by the County Attorney’s Office.
The board took public comment on the budget earlier in the hearing; those remarks are separate from this vote and included appeals for affordable-housing funding (see related coverage). With the millage and budget adopted, the board immediately reopened and then adopted the county’s six-year capital improvement program (CIP).
