West Palm Beach administrator unveils $282.8 million FY26 general fund balanced budget and urges no millage cut

City Administrator Faye Johnson presented a proposed FY26 general fund balanced budget of $282,847,804 at the July 22 budget work session, and asked the commission to retain the current millage rate of 8.1308 rather than enact a millage reduction.

Johnson told the commission the proposed budget is balanced on paper and complies with “Florida statute requirements section 166-2412,” but that the city faces a gap between new recurring revenues and new recurring expenditures. She said FY26 includes $18.8 million in new general-fund revenue and $23.2 million in new expenditures, producing a $4.3 million gap between recurring revenue and recurring obligations.

The nut of Johnson’s presentation was that the budget prioritizes public safety while preserving quality-of-life services and strengthening internal governance. She said the city will use a mix of recurring revenue and one-time funds to reconcile…