Brooksville council adopts FY2026 budget, sets millage at 6.5 mills after split votes

The City Council of Brooksville voted during a special public budget hearing to set the tentative FY2026 ad valorem millage at 6.5 mills and to adopt the fiscal year 2026 budget, actions the council said are intended to rebuild reserves and establish a capital improvement plan.

City Clerk: The proposed maximum millage was advertised at 6.5 mills, a 13.23% increase over the current rollback rate of 5.7407 mills. The clerk said a 6.5-mill rate produces a budget balanced for the year beginning Oct. 1, 2025. City Manager: The city manager told the council the 6.5-mill rate would allow estimated reserves of about $2,600,000 and roughly $480,000 for a capital improvement program (CIP); by contrast a 6.2-mill rate would leave roughly $2,400,000 in reserves and about $290,000 for CIP. Staff reductions and revenue or fee changes noted in the budget package included roughly $1,500,000 in department budget cuts, a fire assessment estimated at $2,200,000, and an estimated $299,000 reduction in the sheriff’s office contract for FY25–26.

Why it mattered: Council members who supported the increase said the city has drawn on reserves in recent years, lacks a funded capital improvement plan and must restore a stable funding base rather than rely on temporary federal funds such as ARPA. Mayor Tanner said, "This increase is necessary for 2 critical reasons. 1, rebuilding our…