Bonita Springs adopts 0.847 millage and $52.08 million budget; council approves city manager pay increase

The Bonita Springs City Council on Sept. 17 adopted a final operating ad valorem millage rate of 0.847 mills for fiscal year 2025–26 and approved a final budget for FY 2025–26 totaling $52,084,820.

Council members also approved a separate action to raise the city manager’s base salary to $250,000, extend the manager’s contract to five years and provide 3% annual raises, effective Oct. 1, with the pay change to be reflected as a line item in the adopted budget.

Why it matters: The council’s millage and budget votes set property tax rates and spending priorities for the coming year and fund capital projects the staff cited as reasons for the revenue increase. During the meeting staff and council named stormwater and transportation improvements, environmental protection projects, community aesthetics efforts and other capital projects as uses of the increased ad valorem revenue.

Details from the meeting: Finance staff read the millage resolution into the record, citing a Lee County property appraiser certification of the city’s gross taxable value for operating purposes as $18,752,174,238 and referencing the public-hearing requirements in Florida Statute 200.065. The adopted operating millage is 0.847 mills, compared with a rollback rate of 0.8062 mills noted in the reading.

The budget resolution lists the following fund totals: General Fund expenditures $23,685,280; Special Revenue $5,294,500; Debt Service $1,560,730; Capital Projects $21,544,310; Total all funds $52,084,820.

Council discussion and vote: Council moved and seconded the millage resolution and approved it on a recorded vote (motion carried 6–1). Later during the same session council members discussed a proposed increase in the city manager’s compensation. Multiple council members said the manager had not received a raise in more than five years and cited regional comparables and increased workload as justification. Proposals during discussion included a $240,000 figure and, after amendment, a $250,000 base salary with a five-year contract and 3% annual raises. The finalized pay package was added to the budget and approved; council recorded an aye vote from all members on the salary motion and on the amended budget.

Budget procedure and next steps: Staff said the budget resolution will be amended to reflect the salary change as part of the adopted budget and that routine budget amendments will follow existing city procedures if additional adjustments are needed.

What the city and staff cited: Lisa Roth, director of finance, told the council that staff salary increases are performance-based with a maximum of 5% and confirmed how the manager’s increase would be incorporated into the budget. She said the budget figures had been presented in earlier public hearings and that the adopted rates meet the statutory notice and hearing requirements.

Outcome: The council adopted the final millage and the final FY 2025–26 budget and approved the manager’s new compensation package during the meeting. The millage vote was recorded as 6–1; the salary and amended budget votes were recorded as unanimous among council members present.

(Reporting note: the meeting transcript contained multiple versions of the initial proposed salary figure; the council adopted the amended $250,000, five-year package with 3% annual increases, effective Oct. 1.)