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Sanford commission adopts 2026 budget and millage rate; multiple consent items approved
Summary
The City Commission adopted the proposed 2026 budget and set the tentative millage rate after a public hearing. The commission also approved routine consent items and several contracts and budget transfers; the earlier proposal to levy a separate fire assessment was denied later in the meeting.
The Sanford City Commission adopted the tentative millage rate of 7.325 mills and approved the City of Sanford’s proposed FY2026 budget during a Sept. 8 public hearing. The motion to set the millage and the separate motion to adopt the budget each passed unanimously.
Finance director Cynthia Lindsey presented the budget, saying the tentative 7.325‑mill rate is roughly a 6.8% increase over the rollback rate and would raise between about $57 per average single‑family homeowner annually (presentation cited $57.26) in ad valorem taxes. Lindsey told the commission the general fund is projected to increase by 9.53% driven in part by personnel costs and outlined approximately $5.5 million in unfunded capital requests for 2026, plus ongoing capital and operating needs in future years.
Why it matters: Adoption of the millage and budget sets the city’s baseline spending and tax rate for the coming year. Several residents who later testified on the separate fire‑assessment item said the city’s…
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