Polk County proposes $3.465 billion FY25–26 tentative budget, sets tentative millage and schedules Sept. 15 final hearing

The Polk County Board of County Commissioners reviewed and tentatively adopted the county’s FY25–26 budget and set the statutorily required tentative millage rates and final hearing date.

County Manager Beasley and Kristia Johnson, director of Polk County Budget and Management Services, presented the proposed $3,464,631,333 balanced tentative budget and explained major revenue and expense drivers. The presentation stressed population-driven service demands, capital projects and workforce needs; staff proposed preserving the countywide general fund millage, indexing select fees and assessments, and using one-time funds for capital projects.

Kristia Johnson described the budget’s scale and makeup: the total proposed budget is $3,464,631,333 and the proposed general fund budget is $726,000,000, an 11.1% increase over the current year. Johnson told the board the countywide property-value change is 8.83% and the unincorporated area change is 6.69%. She said the county budgets anticipated ad valorem revenues at 95% for planning but that…