Pembroke Pines adopts 2025-26 tentative budget, sets operating millage at 5.669

The Pembroke Pines City Commission voted 4–1 on Sept. 17 to adopt an operating millage rate of 5.669 per $1,000 of taxable assessed value and to approve the city’s tentative budget for fiscal year 2025–26.

Mayor Angelo Castillo opened the second and final public hearing on the budget. City Attorney Goren read the purpose and legal basis: the ordinance advertises an operating millage of 5.669, which the city’s staff described as 6.34% above the rollback rate of 5.3312, and a debt‑service millage of 0.2862. The commission then took public comment before voting.

In public comment, Mark Magnone of West Pines described volunteer efforts and community programs tied to the West Pines park and asked the commission to maintain and expand park infrastructure. Magnone said his program serves about 600 children each season and highlighted screening events, fundraising for travel teams and charitable tournaments that raised tens of thousands of dollars.

Commissioner Schwartz reported that he and staff identified potential savings totaling about $2.4 million and asked that a 29‑page response from administration to his budget questions be included in the meeting backup so the public could see the work. Schwartz singled out roughly $2 million in proposed capital improvements at the Howard Forman campus, noting $1 million listed for elevators and another $1 million for road and on‑site improvements; city staff told the commission that the road work request is also part of an active legislative funding request to Tallahassee and not guaranteed.

Schwartz also said bond refinancing will produce approximately $400,000 in savings when the transaction closes, and proposed applying those savings to reduce the advertised rates. City Manager Mike Dodge recommended not making the proposed debt‑service reduction now because state actions (for example, changes to homestead exemptions) could alter revenues and fund balances. Dodge described operating tradeoffs and said staff started the budget process with a larger deficit that they closed through reductions.

Schwartz moved to lower the millage; that amendment failed for lack of a second. A separate motion to reduce the millage to 5.62 also failed for lack of a second. The main motion to adopt the advertised millage and to adopt the tentative budget passed on a roll call vote: Vice Mayor Hernandez — yes; Commissioner Good — yes; Commissioner Rodriguez — yes; Commissioner Schwartz — no; Mayor Angelo Castillo — yes. The commission then adopted the budget ordinance (ordinance number 2025‑13) on second and final reading; roll call for that ordinance showed unanimous votes in favor.

Staff clarified that the elevator funding identified in the Howard Forman line is a budget placeholder in case the Hayden real‑estate transaction does not close; if the sale closes the city expects any such expenditures to be addressed through the purchase agreement. Administration said the elevator item would remain in the budget because the city needs contingency funds if the sale does not complete.

Mayor Castillo and other commissioners thanked staff for their work on closing a multi‑million dollar gap during budget development. The city clerk completed roll calls and confirmed adoption of both the millage ordinance (2025‑12) and the budget ordinance (2025‑13).