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City Commission reviews proposed FY26 budget and considers millage-rate options
Summary
City commission staff presented the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, revenue projections and millage-rate scenarios, and scheduled two public hearings in September to adopt a tentative and final budget and millage rate.
The City Commission heard a 30-minute overview of the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget and millage-rate options at a July 21 budget workshop and was told the proposed millage rate would remain at 3.95 mills, the same level in place since fiscal 2017. The proposed fiscal year begins Oct. 1, 2025; staff also scheduled two public hearings to consider a tentative budget and millage rate on Sept. 8 and a final hearing on Sept. 22, both at 6 p.m. at City Hall.
City staff framed the workshop as an overview of historical reserve activity, projected revenues for FY26, the citywide and general-fund budgets, a compensation presentation by HR, the capital improvement plan and tax considerations. The presentation noted the FY26 proposal would “remain neutral at 3.95,” and said the plan anticipates using less fund balance in FY27 than was planned for the current year, in part because of an organizational reorganization.
Finance staff explained millage-rate alternatives and the statutory rollback concept used to show comparable levies. Staff said the rollback rate for the coming year is 3.6584 mills — the rate that would generate the same levy as the prior year — and provided two higher scenarios from the county form: a 3.8234-mill option that requires a majority vote threshold and an option up to about 4.2057 mills if approved by four of five commissioners. Staff cautioned that tonight’s agenda vote would set the maximum millage reported to the county; the commission may set a lower rate between tonight and the final hearing.
The presentation also summarized projected FY26 general-fund revenue categories, with ad valorem taxes and utility franchise-related taxes listed among the largest sources, and highlighted that staff are reviewing charges for services, recreation fees, fire and building inspections, and marina-related revenue.
Commissioners and staff were reminded that the budget documents will appear in the statutory notice of tax (notice of proposed property tax increase) in September if the commission files a maximum millage that differs from the rollback calculation.
