Deltona commission adopts tentative 2025–26 budget at 6.700 mills after heated public comment

The Deltona City Commission on Sept. 8 adopted a tentative millage rate of 6.700 mills per $1,000 of taxable value and a tentative citywide budget of $245,407,034 for fiscal year 2025–26 after extended public comment and a brief recess for staff-to-commissioner discussions. The vote to set the millage passed 4–2.

The change matters because the millage and budget determine the ad valorem taxes residents will see on their 2026 property tax bills and set the city's planned spending across general fund, enterprise, capital and other funds. Finance and city staff said the adopted millage is 3.06% above the statutory rollback rate used to calculate voter notice requirements.

Finance Director K. McKinney summarized the budget during the hearing. “The citywide total operating budget is $245,683,379,” he said when presenting the initial figures, and then later provided the revised number tied to the adopted millage: “The proposed citywide fiscal year 2025–26 budget for all funds is $245,407,034.” McKinney also told the commission the general fund is set at $77,197,638 and described capital investments the budget funds, including $77.9 million for capital improvement projects and $8.5 million in capital outlay.

Public comment focused on the tax rate and perceived “fluff” in the budget. Courtney Cross Burgos said she was “concerned about the 6.75,” noting the higher rate had not been discussed publicly at workshops. David Sosa urged a return to the rollback rate, saying Deltona was already among the higher-taxed municipalities in Volusia County. Albert Bridal and other residents asked the commission to cut parks and other spending to reduce the rate.

Commission debate centered on whether to accept the staff-recommended rate of 6.75 mills, return to the full rollback of 6.5494 mills, or adopt an intermediate rate. Commissioner Doris Howington moved to adopt the rollback rate of 6.5494 mills; that motion failed on a 2–4 roll call. Vice Mayor Harriott then moved to adopt 6.700 mills per $1,000 and Commissioner Santiago seconded; the motion passed 4–2. The commission later voted 4–2 to adopt the tentative budget that corresponds to the 6.700 millage.

Staff explained how the final tentative budget reflected direction from commissioners and included adjustments made during the recessed discussions. McKinney said a $269,401 reduction tied to the stormwater lake remediation seed money was removed when the commission settled on 6.700 mills. Other notable line items spelled out by staff include $343,000 for AHEC funding, $500,000 for a fraud and compliance audit, $1,000,000 set aside for additional litigation exposure, $333,000 for general fund debt reduction, funding to add two code compliance officers (about $149,000 plus vehicles), and budgeted costs for six additional firefighters funded at 75% of a fiscal year (about $534,000). He also said the sheriff’s contract increase for law enforcement added about $1,150,000 to the city’s public safety costs.

Commissioners and staff emphasized that the budget reflects both one-time uses of fund balance for capital projects and ongoing operating costs; McKinney said capital outlay and CIP were largely funded with prior-year set-asides and that the city’s budget remains balanced under the adopted tentative millage. He also noted that the tentative millage resolution and budget adoption are procedural steps required by Florida statutes and that a final public hearing will be scheduled (staff announced a special meeting for Sept. 22 to meet notification deadlines).

Direction versus decision: commissioners directed staff to post and proceed with the required notifications and come back with the final budget and millage at the subsequent hearing; the formal votes on the tentative millage and tentative budget were recorded on the public record. Follow-up work will include posting the adjusted budget materials and continuing the audit and project reporting improvements staff described.

Residents pressed for additional transparency and suggested specific line-item reviews and quarterly P&L reporting for city facilities; staff said monthly financial reports and a project-level monthly status report would be made available going forward.

The commission’s actions set the fiscal framework for FY 2025–26 and allow staff to continue required public notices and proceed toward the final budget vote scheduled per state law.