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 rollback rate) - Aggregate BCC taxing districts: 7.3663 mills (12.7% above aggregate rollback) - FY2026 total countywide budget: $1,215,087,959

Budget director Timothy Jeks said the final budget was balanced for all funds and unchanged from the tentative budget approved at the first public hearing, and he walked the board through the rollback-rate comparison used by Florida's Truth in Millage process. "This is the second public hearing to adopt the final millage rates and budget," Jeks said at the podium.

Public comment and local reaction

Dozens of residents spoke during the public-comment period, with many expressing opposing views. Supporters said increased revenue is necessary to preserve the county's quality of life; opponents said the timing and scale of the increase would hurt people on fixed incomes.

Longtime resident Rafael Carmano told commissioners he supported the millage increase: "I value this county and [am] willing to contribute not only what you're asking, but even more to sustain the quality of life, the natural resources, and our infrastructure." Several other speakers, including seniors who said they live on fixed incomes, urged commissioners to reduce or delay tax increases.

Public safety, pensions and the sheriff's request

Sheriff Lima addressed the board before the vote, arguing the county needs to keep pay and benefits competitive to retain deputies and operate the jail. The sheriff said commissioners "year after year after year, you have stood with the men and women of policing and fire and public safety, and you've created a quality of life here in Seminole County that is second to none." He also noted market pressures and state and municipal pay increases that affect recruitment and retention.

Several commenters raised concerns about defined-benefit pension plans for public safety employees and about how compensation and pension costs affect the long-term county budget.

SunRail, economic development and the event-center debate

Multiple speakers raised SunRail and economic-development spending. County leaders told the public SunRail is governed by a contract with the State of Florida and that failing to pay the county's share could prompt the state to withhold other funds. Commissioners also said the proposed indoor event center (often discussed publicly as the "Five Points" project) would be funded through a hotelier self-tax and not directly through the general fund; hotel owners had agreed to self-assess for that project.

Animal services, FEMA and disaster risk

Emergency Management Director Alan Harris discussed deferred maintenance at the county's animal-services facility and said the agency has provided multiple, changing FEMA guidance memos since recent storms. He said county contractors are paid when work is done and the county then pursues FEMA reimbursement, which in other disasters has taken years and not always yielded 100% reimbursement.

Clerk of Court and constitutional budgets

The meeting included extended discussion between commissioners and the Clerk of Court (Mr. Malloy) about the division of responsibilities and historical use of clerk-generated fees to cover certain county judicial and technology expenses. Commissioners and the clerk disputed characterizations of past transactions and asked for additional documentation. Commissioners also noted that after accounting for constitutional officers and special funds, about one-third of the county budget is under direct board control while the remainder involves separately elected constitutional officers and state-directed costs.

Election and financial impact on homeowners

County staff demonstrated how the millage change translates to homeowners' tax bills. In one example presented by staff, a homesteaded property with a taxable value in the mid-$100,000s would see its county general-fund portion of the tax bill rise by about $142 annually (roughly $12 a month); the total trim-notice increase seen by a homeowner depends on all taxing authorities and exemptions.

What the votes were

- Final millage rate (FY2026): motion moved by Commissioner Constantine; second not specified in the record; recorded outcome 4-1 in favor. (The roll-call names for each vote were not specified in the meeting transcript.) - Final FY2026 budget adoption: motion to approve final budget made from the dais; second not specified in the record; outcome recorded as unanimous approval.

Next steps and where to get more information

Commissioners and staff said the county will provide additional materials and answers to written public questions submitted before the hearing, and the Office of Management and Budget will post detailed revenue and expenditure charts used in the hearing. Commissioners also encouraged residents with questions about property valuations to contact the Seminole County Property Appraiser.

Ending

Commissioners said the decision represented a difficult choice balancing service levels, long-term fiscal stability and the burden on residents. Commissioners and constitutional officers repeatedly urged residents to focus questions on the specific line items and funding sources and to continue the public conversation at future meetings and through staff-provided materials.