Pembroke Pines adopts tentative $581.4 million budget, sets tentative millage at 5.669 on first reading

Pembroke Pines commissioners on Wednesday approved on first reading a tentative operating millage rate of 5.669 mills and adopted a tentative combined FY2025–26 budget covering all funds, including a general fund, road and bridge fund and utility fund.

City Manager Dodge told the commission the fiscal year 2025–26 budget for all funds combined is $581,430,003.81 and that the proposed operating millage of 5.669 is 6.34% above the rollback rate of 5.3312. Dodge said the proposed operating millage would generate about $107.8 million in tax revenue and that a debt-service millage of 0.2862 would generate roughly $5.4 million for bond debt payments. He told commissioners the aggregate millage combining operating and debt service is lower than in prior years and that the taxable value in the city rose about 6.83% to $20,010,000,000.

The commission approved the millage ordinance (2025‑12) on a 4‑1 roll call vote. Commissioner Rodriguez moved to adopt the ordinance; Vice Mayor Hernandez seconded. The vote was: Commissioner Rodriguez — yes; Vice Mayor Mike Hernandez — yes; Commissioner Schwartz — no; Commissioner Goode — yes; Mayor Angelo Castillo — yes. The budget ordinance (2025‑13) passed on first reading with unanimous support after a separate roll call.

The budget package allocates major shares to public safety: Dodge said about 37% of the general fund is for police services and 26% for fire and rescue, together more than half the general fund budget. Major capital items noted in the presentation included 34 police vehicles and $661,000 for portable radios; $2 million for two fire engines and $1.1 million for 16 life‑pack units; $675,000 for renovation of Station 99; and $550,000 for a pavilion at the fire training facility. The general fund capital budget total shown was $12.6 million.

Dodge said the Road and Bridge Fund is $7.1 million, financed from state shared gas tax revenues, and currently lists Woodbridge as the only road resurfacing project in the coming year. The utility fund stands at about $96.7 million, including $12 million in planned debt for capital projects and a $22 million utility capital program. Utility capital line items the manager cited include $5.5 million budgeted for design work related to PFAS treatment (Dodge said that allocation is for design work, not construction), $4.3 million for lift stations, $4.0 million for the Polk Building, and $3.9 million for water/sewer improvements at the Howard campus. Smaller utility items included $1 million for sewer rehabilitation, $907,000 for well rehab/replacement, $750,000 for valve repairs, and $500,000 for a Vactor truck.

Dodge said the city had set aside $5.5 million in a restricted reserve for PFAS settlement funds; he noted the city recently received about $3.3 million with earlier payments of about $1.3 million. He emphasized the $5.5 million in the utility budget is programmed for design work.

During discussion Commissioner Schwartz proposed lowering the advertised millage to 5.6 mills. Schwartz said he expected the commission could find roughly $1.3 million in savings without cutting public safety, and asked staff to identify potential reductions. The proposal encountered multiple procedural and substantive objections from other commissioners: some said a line‑by‑line list of cuts should be provided before voting, and staff described the current budget as "bare bones." No amendment that reduced the advertised millage was adopted at the meeting; the commission proceeded with the published 5.669 rate.

Scott Barnett, chair of the Citizens' Budget Advisory Board, addressed the commission in public comment and urged continued use of competitive bidding in procurement and greater clarity so residents can see which revenue sources fund which services. "The city staff is top notch. We're blessed to be in a city where there's such transparency," Barnett said.

Commissioners also asked staff to return information requested during the hearing. The city attorney confirmed state law procedures: a tentative millage may be adopted at the first hearing and a lower millage may be adopted at second reading. The commission set the second and final public hearing and second reading for Sept. 17, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.; the fire protection assessment hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15 at 5:15 p.m.

The vote on the millage ordinance (2025‑12) and the budget ordinance (2025‑13) were recorded on the public record; both ordinances return for a required second reading and final vote on Sept. 17. The manager and finance director said they will provide follow‑up materials, including a list of non‑budgeted items previously authorized by the commission, as requested in hearing discussions.