Gulf County adopts $167.7 million budget, sets county millage at 5.6 mills; library funding shortfall raised

Gulf County commissioners on Sept. 16 adopted a $167,710,430 final budget for fiscal year 2025–26 and set the countywide operating millage at 5.6 mills, with an aggregate tentative millage of 5.9851 mills — 2.02% above the rolled‑back rate the county published for the public hearing.

The action came after staff outlined line‑item adjustments to the tentative budget and after a public comment urging the county to restore requested library funding. The board adopted four resolutions — countywide millage and budget and final millage and budgets for four dependent fire control districts — by unanimous roll call votes.

The budget matters because the adopted millage and appropriations determine local property tax collections and fund public safety, jail operations, EMS, employee pay adjustments and capital projects. Sherry Herring, speaking for county budget staff, said the tentative aggregate millage rate is 5.9851 mills, “which is 2.02% greater than the current year aggregate rollback rate of 5.8665.”

Most of the adopted budget is funded by grants, state shared revenues and other non‑ad valorem sources; county staff said less than 14% of the $167.7 million total will be covered by local ad valorem taxes. Staff and commissioners emphasized that recent years’ millage reductions and falling permit revenues…