Wakulla County staff outline budget priorities, propose health‑care contribution changes and multiple rate studies

At a Wakulla County budget development workshop, county finance staff presented a preliminary view of the fiscal year 2025–26 budget and recommended changing employee health‑care contributions, a 3% cost‑of‑living adjustment and several studies to set future rates and interfund charges.

The workshop, the first of three in the fiscal year 2025–26 budget development process, focused on overall budget approach and priorities. “This is the first of 3 scheduled workshops in the fiscal year 25, 26 budget development process,” Kelly Graves said. Graves asked commissioners to raise questions as staff walked through fund balances, revenue projections and pending uncertainties affecting the county budget.

County staff said the general fund began the year with about $6,200,000 in fund balance against a target of $3,800,000, leaving a reported surplus of roughly $1,380,000. Ad valorem collections through April stood at $17,137,000 and were projected to finish the year at about $17,300,000, staff said; total general revenues for the current year were reported at $32,734,000, with property taxes comprising just over 52% and state revenue sharing about 28.5%.

Staff described several special‑revenue and project funds with tighter positions: the revenue stabilization fund, which supplied prior project spending, showed large draws last year (about $18,500,000) and was described as sitting at roughly a $2,000,000 negative cash balance after recent activity;…