Citrus County adopts tentative 2025-26 budget and millage rates; adds one‑time road resurfacing funds

The Citrus County Board of County Commissioners on a 4‑1 vote adopted a tentative county budget for fiscal 2025–26 and set tentative millage rates after a public hearing in which dozens of residents urged more money for road resurfacing and relief from rising property taxes.

The board approved a proposed tentative county budget of $505,866,078 and a proposed tentative aggregate countywide millage rate of 8.8733 mills, which the county budget staff said is 5.01% above the aggregate rollback rate. Commissioners also approved line‑item millage rates (general fund, transportation, library, health, fire MSTU and stormwater MSTU) and directed staff to proceed to a final budget hearing as required by statute.

The tentative budget hearing drew more than a dozen public commenters who focused largely on road conditions, perceived mismatch between development and infrastructure, and library materials funding. Multiple speakers described long ambulance response times, pothole and unpaved roads, and the number of newly built but unsold homes. Several residents criticized a $3,300 annual BookPage subscription in the library budget and asked the commission to remove the line item.

County budget staff and commissioners described how they restored funding for resurfacing relative to earlier proposals by using a combination of recurring revenues (ad…