Seminole County adopts FY26 budget, raises countywide millage to fund public safety and mandates

The Seminole County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 23 adopted the county'wide final budget for fiscal year 2026 and approved an increase to the countywide millage rate to help cover rising costs for public safety, transportation and state-mandated services.

The board approved a $1,215,087,959 countywide budget and set the countywide millage at 5.3751 mills, 16.42% above the rollback rate of 4.6168 mills. The vote to adopt the millage was recorded in the meeting as 4-1. The board later approved the final budget as presented; that vote carried unanimously.

The budget and millage package presented to the board included the countywide increase along with no change to the fire-rescue MSTU millage (2.7649 mills) and the unincorporated roads MSTU millage (0.1107 mills). County staff said the increase was needed to "maintain public safety services, offset rising cost of transportation, meet state mandated regulations, and remove the existing budget deficit," language presented by Timothy Jeks of the Office of Management and Budget.

Why it matters

County staff and commissioners told residents that long-term pressures '154 million classified in the presentation as unfunded mandates, rising public safety costs and growing deferred maintenance 'are driving the need for higher revenue. The budget includes planned spending for sheriff's operations, the county jail (described in testimony as about $80 million of the sheriff's operating responsibility), transportation commitments and other county services.

What the board approved

- Countywide millage: 5.3751 mills (16.42% above rollback rate of 4.6168) - Fire-rescue MSTU: 2.7649 mills (5.43% above rollback rate) - Unincorporated road MSTU: 0.1107 mills (5.33% above…