Brevard County adopts $2.51 billion budget, approves final millages after public comment and board debate

The Brevard County Board of County Commissioners adopted a $2,509,876,505 operating and capital budget for fiscal year 2025–26 and approved final millages after public comment and deliberation.

The board adopted a recomputed aggregate millage rate of 4.5053 mills, a 5.25% increase from the aggregate rollback rate of 4.2806 mills, and completed roll-call votes on dozens of dependent and independent taxing levies used to fund county services, special districts and debt service. The millages fund priorities the county identified for the coming year, including a fire rescue wage package, higher constitutional officer budgets and a larger mandatory Medicaid contribution to the state.

Why it matters: The final budget and millages determine property-tax levies that pay for core county operations, voter-approved special districts and services such as law enforcement, libraries, mosquito control and recreation districts. The changes approved Wednesday increase ad valorem revenue for multiple taxing authorities and set the county’s operating plan for the year beginning Oct. 1, 2025.

Public comment and board debate Resident Mark Wilhem of Cocoa told the board he opposes a 4% across‑the‑board raise included in the proposed budget for higher-paid county employees. “The employees at the lower part of the pay scale may deserve and probably need a 4% raise,” Wilhem said. “But somebody making $250,000 or above, a pay freeze is not unreasonable.”

During debate, Commissioner Katie Delaney proposed an amendment to limit raises for the…