Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Okeechobee County sets tentative millage at 7.8 mills, adopts $168 million tentative budget
Summary
The Okeechobee County Board of County Commissioners unanimously adopted a tentative millage rate of 7.8 mills and a tentative fiscal year 2026 budget totaling about $168 million, and scheduled a final public hearing for Sept. 25, 2025.
Okeechobee County commissioners unanimously adopted a tentative general millage rate of 7.8 mills and approved a tentative fiscal year 2026 budget at a public hearing, commissioners said.
County staff opened the hearing citing statutory authority and the process for public comment. The tentative millage rate of 7.8 mills was presented as allocated entirely to the general fund and described by staff as 5.62% higher than the rolled-back rate of 7.3847 as calculated under state law. Staff presented proposed expenditures of $111,214,370 and proposed reserves of $57,326,328, which were described as producing a tentative total budget figure stated in the hearing as $168,000,005 and $40,698.
The hearing included one public commenter, David A. Steen, who identified himself as “retired, wage grade 12, US Army.” Steen told commissioners he believed the local tax system was incorrect and cited multiple Florida statutes while challenging the county’s taxing of homes. “I just find that the tax system here is a little bit screwed up,” Steen said. The chair and staff responded that assessment and valuation questions are handled by the property appraiser and, if needed, appealed to the Value Adjustment Board rather than by setting the county millage rate.
Following public comment, the board voted on separate motions. Commissioners voted unanimously to adopt resolution 2025-52 levying ad valorem taxes for fiscal year 2025–2026 and to adopt resolution 2025-53 adopting the tentative budget for fiscal year 2026. The board also voted unanimously to set a final public hearing to adopt a final millage rate and final budget for Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, at 5:01 p.m. at the Historical Courthouse, 304 Northwest Second Street.
Commissioners gave no additional public debate on the millage rate itself during the recorded hearing. The board closed public comment after the single speaker and carried each motion unanimously with no recorded roll-call dissent.
Votes at a glance: Resolution 2025-52 (levy of ad valorem taxes): motion by Commissioner Goodbread, second by Commissioner DeCarlo; outcome: approved unanimously. Resolution 2025-53 (tentative budget FY 2025–2026): motion by Commissioner Goodbread, second by Commissioner Sumner; outcome: approved unanimously. Motion to set final public hearing for Sept. 25, 2025: motion by Commissioner Sumner, second by Commissioner Goodbread; outcome: approved unanimously.
The board adjourned immediately after the hearing.
