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Plantation council adopts FY2026 millage rates and final budget after public comments on taxes and training
Summary
The City of Plantation City Council on Sept. 17 approved fiscal year 2026 millage rates for the city and two development districts and adopted the consolidated FY2026 budget following a public hearing where residents urged tax relief and questioned a training line item.
The City of Plantation City Council on Sept. 17 adopted final millage rates and approved the consolidated fiscal year 2026 budget after a public hearing and brief public comment.
Finance Director Anna Otonano read the proposed millage rates into the record: the city's General Fund operating millage is set at 5.7 mills (an increase of 4.39% from the rollback rate of 5.4603 mills); the voted debt millage is 0.271 mills; the Plantation Gateway Development District operating millage is reported as 1.7081 mills (an increase of 4.53% from a rollback of 1.6367 mills); the Plantation Midtown Development District operating millage is 0.9707 mills (an increase of 3.4% from a rollback of 0.9388 mills); and the city's aggregate proposed millage is 5.9198 mills (an increase of 4.34% from an aggregate rollback of 5.6738 mills). Otonano said the increases in ad valorem revenues are intended to fund higher operating costs, increased personnel costs and operating capital needs.
The hearing drew several residents who urged the council to limit tax increases. Donna Andrade, a resident and speaker during public comment, praised staff responsiveness but criticized past messaging about tax rates, saying, "The unchanged millage rate was a misrepresentation of success." She urged council members to address the affordability pressures on middle-income homeowners as well as seniors.
Resident Dennis Conklin raised two items during public comment: whether the Gateway district millage might fall under review by the state's fiscal oversight, and a line-item question about training in the budget. Conklin asked whether a training line (service item 513-4905) that he associated with DEI training remains in the budget and said, "So I want that removed." City staff member Jason Newnemaker replied that he was not aware of any DEI-specific training currently being provided, that the city has increased training in areas such as harassment, ADA and workplace violence and leadership development, and that staff would follow up and provide a list of current training programs in response to Conklin's request.
Carol Sword, another resident speaker, said she supported a rollback and noted Broward County had reduced its millage rate, adding that many seniors face budget pressures.
Council action and votes
The council handled six legislative items related to millage and budgets during the hearing (motions were moved and seconded; roll calls followed each motion). All six resolutions were approved by roll-call vote.
- Item 1: Fiscal year 2026 millage resolution for the Plantation Gateway Development District ' Approved (Yes: Councilmember Horland; Councilmember Anderson; Councilmember Andrew; Councilmember Reinstein. No: Councilmember Fajin). Tally: Yes 4, No 1.
- Item 2: Fiscal year 2026 millage resolution for the Plantation Midtown Development District ' Approved (Yes: Horland, Anderson, Andrew, Reinstein. No: Fajan). Tally: Yes 4, No 1.
- Item 3: Fiscal year 2026 millage resolution for the City of Plantation consolidated levy ' Approved (unanimous roll call recorded as Yes across voting members present).
- Item 4: Fiscal year 2026 final budget resolution for the Plantation Gateway Development District ' Approved (roll call recorded as Yes across voting members present).
- Item 5: Fiscal year 2026 final budget resolution for the Plantation Midtown Development District ' Approved (roll call recorded as Yes across voting members present).
- Item 6: Fiscal year 2026 final budget resolution for the City of Plantation consolidated budget ' Approved (roll call recorded as Yes across voting members present).
Discussion and next steps
Councilmembers did not engage in extended debate on the resolutions during the hearing; votes followed the public comment period after motions and seconds were made for each item. City staff committed to provide the resident who questioned training expenditures with a summary of current training programs and program descriptions so members of the public can review them. No amendments to the proposed millage rates or budget were made during the hearing.
The hearing was adjourned at approximately 5:16 p.m.
