Orange County adopts $8.32 billion budget, raises aggregate millage; votes 6-1

The Orange County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday adopted final millage rates and the fiscal year 2025–26 county budget, approving an aggregate millage of 6.9547 and a proposed budget of about $8.318 billion.

The hearing, called to consider the county’s final millages and budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2025, opened with County Administrator Byron Brooks explaining that public notice had been published in the Orlando Sentinel and that the evening’s actions would formalize the millage rates and the budget resolutions. "The purpose of tonight's public hearing is to consider and adopt final millages and budgets for the fiscal year beginning 10/01/2025 and ending 09/30/2026," Brooks said.

Kirk Peterson, director of the Office of Management and Budget, read a list of proposed millage rates for the county and multiple special districts. The countywide rollback rate listed in the presentation was 4.2068 mills; the proposed countywide millage was 4.4347 mills, a 5.42% increase…