Deltona finance director presents $234 million FY25-26 budget balanced at 6.75 mills

John McKinney, finance director, told the Deltona City Commission on July 14 that the fiscal year 2025–26 budget the city is working toward totals $234,051,275 and that the general fund is $76,663,842. "We've balanced this budget at 6.75 mills," McKinney said during the workshop.

McKinney said the document presented at the workshop is an executive summary of a larger package posted on the city website and that no final decisions were being taken at the session. He told commissioners the commission will be asked to set the maximum millage at the regular meeting scheduled for Monday, July 21, and that the budget will continue to be revised until final public hearings in September. "As the budget is a fluid process, there will be changes communicated to you up until the final public hearing," McKinney said.

The city manager and McKinney highlighted key budget figures and one-time capital uses: a capital improvements program of $73,720,000, capital replacement funding of just over $5,000,000, and a $1,000,000 increase from the May workshop earmarked for land acquisition in flood-prone areas if that program is approved. McKinney also said the executive summary includes about $2,000,000 in enhancements.

McKinney noted revenues remain uncertain and staff are using conservative estimates: health insurance was budgeted flat pending quotes, property/casualty insurance was assumed to increase 10 percent, and a 10 percent reduction in municipal shared state revenue was included based on recent reports. He told commissioners the city may receive revisions from state revenue estimates as late as mid-August.

The finance director said budget documents and line-item detail are posted online and available to commissioners. He also reminded the commission that Florida law and the city’s code require the budget to be adopted by resolution and that the document presented is the manager’s recommendation for the commission’s review.