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Sumter County adopts $361.86 million FY2025-26 budget; holds general millage at 4.89 mills, approves fire MSTU rates
Summary
At a Sept. 30 final budget hearing in The Villages, the Sumter County Board of County Commissioners adopted a $361,859,873 final budget for fiscal year 2025–26, kept the general fund millage at 4.89 mills and approved municipal service taxing unit (MSTU) millage rates that fund fire and EMS services.
Sumter County Commissioners on Sept. 30 adopted a $361,859,873 final budget for fiscal year 2025–26 and approved a package of millage rates, including a general fund rate of 4.89 mills and a Sumter County Fire and EMS municipal service taxing unit (MSTU) rate of 0.8571, during a final budget hearing at the Everly Regional Recreation Center in The Villages.
County Administrator Mr. Arnold summarized the final budget and the changes since the tentative hearing, saying the figure "is now $361,859,873" and noting that the decrease from the current fiscal year largely reflects one-time capital revenues and expenditures completed in 2024–25, including a new supervisor of elections office, ARPA-funded sewer projects and other projects.
The budget preserves the county's historic general fund millage of 4.89 mills. Mr. Arnold noted that holding 4.89 mills is higher than the calculated rollback rate of 4.6684 mills and therefore legally constitutes a tax increase relative to the rollback rate; the county reported that the percentage increase relative to the rollback rate is 4.75%.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the budget prioritizes public safety and road maintenance. The county projects that 52.53% of expenditures in the general fund will be for public safety (dominated by the sheriff's office), and that property tax will account for 57.49% of general fund revenue. The adopted budget also sets aside $3,000,000 from the general fund for road preservation and supplements fuel-tax revenue in funds 103 and 106.
Key details and changes - The final budget reflects updated revenue estimates from the Florida Department of Revenue and adjustments to cash carryforward; county staff emphasized that cash carryforward is not recurring revenue but unused appropriations rolled into the next fiscal year. - American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding crossed fiscal years; one ARPA project remains active (broadband expansion), targeted for completion circa September 2026. - The county continues to fund a minimum of six first-response advanced life-support ambulances and nine staffed fire stations through Fund 182 (Sumter County Fire and EMS). Under the current assessment methodology, fire-assessment revenue represents about 42.5% of that fund's revenues. - The board on Sept. 23 awarded a consultant contract to develop a new methodology for the fire assessment focused on a cost-of-readiness approach (a flat dollar per square foot charge). Staff said that change could shift burdens across properties and that a future change might require a higher MSTU millage in the following fiscal year to maintain service levels.
Votes at a glance - Village Public Safety Department dependent-district MSTU millage rate (0.0464): motion by Commissioner Bogue, second by Commissioner Bill O'Dello; approved unanimously. - Sumter County Fire and EMS MSTU millage rate (0.8571): motion by Commissioner Bill O'Dello, second by Commissioner Bogue; approved unanimously. - General fund millage rate (4.89 mills): motion by Commissioner Bogue, second (unspecified); approved 4–1 (transcript records a 4 to 1 vote; individual member votes were not specified in the transcript). - Final aggregate millage rate for Sumter County (5.0821): motion by Commissioner Bogue, second by Commissioner Butterfield; approved unanimously. - Fiscal Year 2025–26 final budget adoption: motion by Commissioner Butterfield, second by Commissioner Bill O'Dello; approved unanimously.
Discussion, public input and next steps The board held a public hearing on the budget and millage rates; no members of the public came forward to speak. Commissioners thanked county staff and public-safety leadership for their work during a multi-month budget process. The board directed staff and the contracted consultant to proceed with the fire-assessment methodology work; any methodology change and resulting millage adjustments would be considered by the board in 2026 for implementation in fiscal year 2026–27.
The board adjourned after adopting the budget and associated millage resolutions.
