Highlands County adopts tentative $206.3 million budget and keeps millage at 7.6 mills

The Highlands County Board of County Commissioners on Thursday adopted a tentative countywide budget of $206,333,121 for fiscal year 2025–26 and set a tentative millage rate of 7.6 mills, the board announced during a public hearing at the county administration building in Sebring.

The tentative millage rate of 7.6 mills is higher than the rollback rate of 7.3046 mills, a 6.1% increase from the rollback figure the county calculated, and the board approved the millage resolution by a 3–2 vote. The board also approved the tentative county budget and the tentative municipal service benefit unit (MSBU) budgets for the coming fiscal year.

County Manager David Nitz opened the budget presentation, saying, "The fiscal year 2526 proposed budget. Total amount at this time is 206,333,121." He reviewed major funds, the general fund level and the county's fund-balance estimates, and explained that the general fund as presented yields approximately 2.73 months of available fund balance after excluding grant programs, capital transfers and reserves.

During discussion, some commissioners pressed for a millage reduction because the county's available fund balance is higher than the minimum recommended in policy. One commissioner outlined a proposal to reduce the millage by a…