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Treasury flags $1.5M cybersecurity upgrade, 1.99% tax levy increase and debt-service trajectory
Summary
County Treasurer Hassan Mohammed told commissioners the administration budget includes a $1.5 million increase for information-technology cybersecurity licensing, noted a projected 1.99% property-tax levy increase (about $9 million), and described debt-service projections including a drop toward $85 million in 2026 after Family Court financing.
County Treasurer Hassan Mohammed and senior budget staff presented administration and finance highlights, calling attention to a planned $1.5 million investment in cybersecurity licensing and the projected tax levy increase for 2025.
Mohammed said information-technology costs include a $1.5 million increase to renew countywide cybersecurity licensing and that the Family Courts Building will require separate equipment purchases captured elsewhere in the capital plan. He noted that some prior cybersecurity licensing had been covered by pandemic-related funds in prior cycles and that the county now budgets the renewal directly.
On health benefits and pension-related lines, Mohammed said the state's health benefit program increased and that the county's overall health-benefit appropriation rose, partially offset by employee contributions under the Chapter 78 arrangement; he noted employee contributions collected via Chapter 78 total about $19 million.
On revenue and levy, the budget package anticipates a tax levy increase of about 1.99 (roughly $9 million) for 2025. On debt-service, treasury projected a 2025 debt-service level near $101 million and expects debt service to fall toward an estimated ~$85 million in 2026; the Family Courts Building financing and continued annual capital authorizations (roughly $20 million per year in new authorizations historically) will affect exact timing of reductions.
Mohammed and analysts answered follow-up questions about central-reserve handling, treasury reserves for unsettled contracts and the way social-security and payroll-tax impacts from recent contract settlements were reflected in the budget.
Ending: Commissioners asked treasury to provide follow-up detail on cybersecurity procurement timing, reserve balances and the accounting for recently settled contracts.
